Tennis champion Naomi Osaka stepped onto the court for this year’s U.S. Open tournament with something to say. In keeping with recent protests that have unfolded across the nation, Osaka wanted to honor the countless Black Americans who’ve been killed by the police. So she decided to wear their names.
Osaka began on August 31st by wearing a face mask with the name of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was killed by police in her apartment in March. When asked if she’d be wearing different names throughout the matches, she said, “Actually, I have seven. It’s quite sad that seven masks isn’t enough for the amount of names. Hopefully, I’ll get to the finals and you can see all of them.”
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Since then, she’s worn the names of Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, and Elijah McClain, all Black men who were unjustly killed. In response, on Tuesday night, ESPN showed Osaka recorded messages from Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin’s mother, and Marcus Arbery Sr., Ahmaud Arbery’s father, thanking her for her activism.
“I just want to say thank you to Naomi Osaka for representing Trayvon Martin on your customized mask and also for Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor,” Fulton said. “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Continue to do well, continue to kick butt at the U.S. Open.”
“Naomi, I just want to tell you thank you for the support of my family and god bless you for what you’re doing,” Arbery said.
“It means a lot,” Osaka said, after seeing the clips. “I feel like they’re so strong. I’m not sure what I would be able to do if I was in their position. I feel like I’m a vessel at this point in order to spread awareness and, it’s not going to dull the pain, but hopefully I can help with anything that they need.”
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“I feel like I’m a vessel at this point in order to spread awareness.”Trayvon Martin’s mother and Ahmaud Arbery’s father thanked Naomi Osaka for representing their sons on the masks she’s been wearing throughout the US Open. pic.twitter.com/0IHBU7pvx4
— espnW (@espnW) September 9, 2020
Later when asked about the messages, Osaka added, “I was just trying really hard not to cry, but for me, it’s a bit surreal, and it’s extremely touching that they would feel touched by what I’m doing. For me, I feel like what I’m doing is nothing—it’s a speck of what I could be doing. It was really emotional. I feel like after I saw it, at first I was a bit in shock, but now that I’m here and I took the time, I’m really grateful and I’m really humbled.”
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.@ESPN showed @NaomiOsaka videos from the parents of Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin, who thanked her for raising awareness ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fJeDzItCae
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 9, 2020
She also tweeted about what the support meant to her, writing, “I often wonder if what I’m doing is resonating and reaching as many people as I hope. That being said, I tried to hold it in on set but after watching these back I cried so much. The strength and the character both of these parents have is beyond me.”
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
I often wonder if what I’m doing is resonating and reaching as many people as I hope. That being said, I tried to hold it in on set but after watching these back I cried so much. The strength and the character both of these parents have is beyond me. Love you both, thank you ❤️ https://t.co/FSDLtWNJDr
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) September 9, 2020
Back in August, prior to the U.S. Open, Osaka announced she would not play one of her matches in order to draw attention to the Black Lives Matter movement and the “continued genocide of Black people at the hands of the police.”
“Before I am an athlete, I am a black woman,” she wrote on Twitter. “And as a black woman, I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis. I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.”
Источник: www.elle.com
