Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti on Monday pledged $1 million for social justice reform in Baltimore.
The Ravens said a committee of current and former players from the team will decide which programs receive contributions.
Bisciotti said he is having trouble coping with what is going on nationally in the wake of the death of George Floyd on May 25.
“There is nothing I can say to ease the pain felt by African-American communities across our country. No words will repair the damage that has been done,” Bisciotti said in a statement. “Like many people, I am sickened, disheartened and shaken by the acts of racism that continue to overwhelm our society. The most recent killing, involving George Floyd, is yet another tragic example of the discrimination that African-Americans face each day.
“Now, more than ever, we must all strengthen our pursuit of positive change, as we stand with peaceful protestors around the country. We must all seek to understand by listening better and learning more. We must all discover new ways to unite. We must all work to break the cycle of systematic racial injustice.”
Floyd, a black man, died after white officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for at least eight minutes in an incident caught on cell phones. Chauvin was been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Bisciotti wants the Ravens to be part of the solution.
“Our players have been — and will continue to be — at the forefront of this change,” Bisciotti said. “We believe in their commitment to furthering social justice and invoking meaningful change. We stand side by side with them, in full support. It is for this reason that I have asked a group of former and current Ravens players to decide which organizations should receive proceeds from the $1 million donation we are making today.”
–Field Level Media
