Athletes and Human Rights: Charity, Engagement and Activism

Eli WolffKerri Heffernan

Brown University & Athletes for Human Rights

Predicators of Future Civic Engagement

Require athletes to assume leadership

Activities that allow athletes

to work collectively toward a

common goal

Offer opportunities to listen to

differentperspectives

Engagement

Ways athletes engage….

Activism Charity

CharityMembers of the FSU men’s basketball team stopped by Golden Book Preschool and taught preschool students basketball skills and discussed the importance of teamwork.

The Penn State spring sports teams combined to help raise money and awareness by hosting Pink Game fundraisers to benefit the Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks County.

Engaged Sport

The purposeful integration of sport into teaching, research and practice with the

goal of advancing scholarship and producing a public benefit.

Engaged Scholarship-Sport

Emily examined the connection between nerve regeneration

research in the laboratory and current bio-engineered medical

applications for treating neurologically disabled athletes

and wounded soldiers.

Baseball and Local Community Development

Scott investigated the economic impact of Major League Baseball academies on rural communities

in the Dominican Republic.

Javier created a business plan to develop, implement, and finance a

‘no-pay’ children’s flag football program.

Guaranteeing Children the Right to Play

Girls Athletic Leadership

SchoolNina created the charter for a middle

school that utilizes a movement-based approach to education. The School is the first all-girls charter school in Colorado.

Lacrosse and the Doctrine of Discovery

Athlete Activism

“athletes have the power to influence the silent majority

of the public and reach people who are completed

alienated from politics. (Zirin)

Sport for Development

Who owns sport? Does society own sport?

Practically how could you leverage sport to meet a ‘larger public

purpose?’

What are challenges and opportunities you face engaging

athletes, coaches?