66-Emily Kruger, on white privilege and culture in sports
In today’s episode I interview former Portland Thorns goalkeeper and racial justice activist Emily Kruger.
Emily is someone I really admire because as a pro athlete, she went all in on the social causes that she was passionate about, even if it wasn’t “popular.” I am constantly learning from Emily about how I can be of better service to the world and educate myself about my privilege.
Emily attended UC Berkeley, where she first became really aware of her privilege. From there, she unexpectedly joined the Portland Thorns and continued learning and standing up for social issues.
In today’s episode, Emily talks about:
The backlash she received from teammates and coaches when she proposed linking arms during the national anthem
How our unwillingness to be uncomfortable or feel like a “bad” person prevents us from dealing with problems like racism
How to expand sports to be more inclusive
How her interactions with police officers was very different than black people in the same city
Advice for someone to take when they’re first unpacking their white privilege
Race being the “great connector” of so many other important issues (LGBTQ, capitalism, climate change)
and more!
Listen on iTunes HERE
Resources:
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