Over the past week or so, as we’ve contemplated what to write in our weekly #SoccerFilmFriday note to the K+S community, we’ve started typing something out, deleted it, started again, deleted it again. A hundred times. A thousand times.
Finally, we gave up. Truth is, there are many more people who have expressed what we are feeling much more powerfully, personally, and eloquently than we ever could. People like Barack Obama, Lee Pelton, Jeremy Ebobisse, and Drake Hills.
We here at K+S, like everyone we know in the soccer-culture community we are a part of, unequivocally denounce the systemic racism that led to the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others. We denounce a justice system that is too often one-sided and turns a blind eye to the violence perpetrated against Black bodies for far too long. And we denounce the lack of leadership, from the White House to governors’ mansions, to city halls, that has upheld and reinforced this system for years upon years.
But denouncing something with words is just sound and fury if there is no action to back it up. We applaud those who are finally taking the time to listen and learn. We are doing it ourselves. We applaud those who are marching and speaking out and donating their time, energy, and money to “make this moment the turning point for real change,” as President Obama wrote. Again, we are doing it ourselves, and we encourage you to do the same.
But what else can we do? That’s the question we are asking ourselves.
First thing we are doing: Through the end of June (to start), we will donate all the proceeds from the streaming of soccer films on the K+S Media Group film portal to Campaign Zero, a non-profit dedicated to ending police violence.
Second: We will promote and showcase as many Black-focused soccer organizations as possible, encouraging our audience to seize this moment to actively listen, learn, and support organizations focused on Black soccer culture or serving the Black community through the game we all love. Some of these groups include:
And we will continue to brainstorm ideas that can put action to words. We would love to hear any ideas that you have or organizations or people we should support and amplify. Email us at info@kickingandscreening.com or tweet at us at @KSFilmFest.
#SOCCERFILMFRIDAY: The Anderson Monarchs
It is Friday, so we do have a great soccer film we encourage you to watch as part of our ongoing #SoccerFilmFriday series. This week, our featured film is The Anderson Monarchs, which tells the story of a Black girls soccer team in an at-risk urban neighborhood in Philadelphia.
Focused on two girls, Jlon, age 11, and Kahlaa, age 10, The Anderson Monarchs follows the girls' growth as soccer players and people, celebrating the rights of young women and the community they are building for themselves as talented athletes, emerging scholars, and leaders. Their remarkable story brings them to a place they only ever imagined in their dreams.
It’s a powerful story and one that is very appropriate for the times we are living in.
