A few days ago, we lost a civil rights icon when Georgia Representative John Lewis, after a battle with pancreatic cancer, died at the age of 80.
For his entire life, Lewis had been known for causing “Good Trouble” in advancing civil rights initiatives. He was part of the 1963 March on Washington, was brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama and had advanced numerous pieces of civil rights legislation through Congress.
The Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson reflected on Lewis passing recently and spoke on how the news is a reminder to be aware that her platform as a well-known athlete can be used to bring forth change.
…I think for me, that’s kind of how, I’m like, ok, this is not only a wake-up call for America, but for myself as well – to use my voice for the voiceless, to be that Black girl on TV so that little Black girl can look and see someone that looks like her.
–A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
The team from Rep. Lewis’ hometown – the Atlanta Dream – which have been much maligned lately because of the not exactly Lewis-esque rhetoric coming from one of its owners, posted this to its PR account on social media.
Official statement:
The entire Atlanta Dream organization grieves the loss of Rep. John Lewis. He was an American hero who represented our community with dignity and class. He will be missed but his legacy will live on.
— Atlanta Dream PR (@ATLDreamPR) July 18, 2020
