Vikings Commit Nearly $1 Million to Social Reform in 2020
Throughout 2020, the Vikings have made the social justice movement a focal point following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May. In June, the Vikings along with the Wilf family committed $5 million to social justice programs, and this past week the team met to discuss what they would do during the 2020 season. Tuesday morning, the team announced that they have devoted nearly $1 million towards social justice initiatives. Some highlights include organizational involvement in areas of education/information about voting, black history, and movements towards criminal justice reform.
Vikings announce their social justice initiatives: pic.twitter.com/xtJSXZxJrR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 8, 2020
Voting
The team is launching a series of player-led content to help fans find information on voter registration and candidates. The content can be easily found on vikings.com/bethechange. They have also announced a goal to have 100% of the organization registered to vote in November, and the team has been going through voter education classes throughout the summer. Thirdly, the Vikings organization will be providing polling workers throughout the state of Minnesota with personal protective equipment.
Education
The Vikings organization is also set to begin the George Floyd Legacy Scholarship. The team is donating a $125,000 endowment that will provide $5000 per year for black high school graduates in the Minneapolis-St.Paul area to pursue secondary education. The inaugural recipient has been announced as Mimi Kol-Balfour, who is attending Barnard College this fall.
The Vikings are also expanding their partnership with Everfi to bring more Minnesota students a 306 Black History curriculum. The partnership began in 2016, with 12 schools receiving the class. This class has been educating students on important stories of black men and women who courageously overcame difficult situations throughout history, and the expansion will bring the total from 12 schools to 24.
Through the program RISE (Ross Inititative in Sports for Equality), the Vikings will be bringing awareness of racial inequality in conversations with local teams and coaches. In August, safety Anthony Harris and linebacker Anthony Barr discussed the importance of these conversations within a team environment with several high school coaches.
The Vikings are continuing to partner with Project Success as well. This Minneapolis-based organization focuses on helping kids develop life skills and confidence, so they are better equipped to handle life after high school. The organization also took 50 students, along with Vikings players C.J. Ham, Ameer Abdullah, and Anthony Harris, to Washington D.C. for an experience that included visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2019, the first year of the two organizations’ partnership. The trip is scheduled to happen again in 2021, assuming COVID-19 does not cause any restrictions.
Criminal Justice Reform
Finally, the Vikings are continuing their partnership with All Square, a non-profit organization that works to invest in the minds and lives of those that have been impacted by incarceration. The organization works to ensure that these people have opportunities to become leaders, business owners, and legal practitioners, and entrepreneurs.