Sports Media Report
Association of Volleyball Professionals’ RISE Up With AVP strives to eliminate discrimination across the tour and in communities. Its initiative for 2016 features players within the tour pledging to “stand as one” in the fight against racism, sexism, homophobia and any other form of discrimination.
AVP recently teamed up with RISE (Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality), a non-profit organization committed to harnessing the unifying power of sport to advance race relations and drive social progress. The goal is not only to keep any discrimination out of the sport and its stadiums, but to encourage everyone involved to take a stand against it in their communities as well. In addition to being one of the first organizations of its kind, RISE has formed an unprecedented alliance of sports leagues and associations, organizations, educators, thought-leaders, media networks, sports professionals, athletes, coaches and others who believe in the power of sport to build a society of understanding, respect and equality.
Robinson. Owens. O’Ree. Suzuki. Williams. Yao. These heroes are cemented in history not only for the feats they achieved in sports, but also for the racial barriers they helped to break down. Their unrelenting spirits forever changed the face of the game for athletes, coaches and fans.
“RISE represents an extraordinary union across the sports world,” said Donald Sun, AVP managing partner. “No matter what sport you represent, we all believe in standing up for equality, respect and understanding.”
Led by Executive Director Ndidi Massay, RISE aims to generate awareness, inspire dialogue and spur action towards racial equality through a three-pronged approach:
Drive public awareness: RISE is executing awareness campaigns, including public service announcements (PSAs), a pledge, game day activations and ongoing social media engagement to build awareness and encourage communities to take action.
Build strategic partnerships: RISE has partnered with sports leagues and organizations, media networks, sports professionals, thought-leaders and educational institutions to reach a wide range of athletes, coaches, administrators and fans across the sports community.
Develop meaningful curriculum and resources: RISE provides resources and curriculum to athletes, coaches, parents and professionals to identify, resolve and prevent racially insensitive behaviors.
The RISE Up With AVP PSA will air Saturday, May 21, on NBC during the AVP Cincinnati Open championship match at 3:00pm ET. It will continue to be a staple of AVP broadcasts for the entire 2016 season and the tour will continue its efforts in cities across the country.
We invite you to join us, RISE up and make a difference.
Take the Pledge
The campaign highlights the partnership with the nonprofit organization RISE, as AVP joins efforts in eliminating discrimination, bias, prejudice and harassment, while encouraging our fans to Take the Pledge with RISE. Together we can RISE up for understanding, respect and equality. Take the pledge to show your commitment.
I pledge to treat everyone with respect and dignity. I will not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind. I will speak up whenever I know discrimination is happening and I will stand up for victims.
