Message from the Founders
Dear Syracuse University Nation, family, friends, and fellow Americans,
Black Oranges is a call to action, a movement, and a community, started by Black and Brown Americans who are former Syracuse University student-athletes and alumni. For 8 minutes and 46 seconds we all watched the horrific torture and murder of George Floyd by the people who were sworn to protect him. People can no longer hide behind the same dismissive arguments by suggesting this was an isolated incident or demanding we wait until all the facts are in. We know what we saw, and the world saw it, too. Like most of our brothers and sisters of color we share the same feelings of outrage, fear, and great sorrow over the murders of Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others who were murdered during routine traffic stops, watching tv in their beds, or simply going for a jog. Sadly, even our beloved alma mater experienced multiple acts of racial terrorism and delayed university support, prompting the Black and Brown students to mobilize the extremely effective and important #NotAgainSU movement.
Collectively, we are tired, we are outraged, and we are ready to get off the bench! Although we may not score points or race against the clock anymore, we represent the ‘CUSE as doctors, lawyers, teachers, law enforcement, professional athletes, entrepreneurs, corporate executives and so much more. Moving forward, Black Oranges makes the pledge to use our collective influence, resources, and network to inspire, unify and confront systemic oppression, racism, racial inequalities, and police brutality at our alma mater, in our respective communities and throughout the world.
On July 4th, 2020 Black Oranges launched our movement with a very successful social media campaign: “#GetOffTheBench”. We asked everyone to get off the bench and to make a pledge to do at least one thing to help end systemic racism. As a helpful resource we created a simple blueprint (found on www.blackoranges.org) for anyone who wanted ideas on how to be an ally in the movement. Action items were anything from reading a book to enhance your own knowledge or something more hands-on like signing up for your local police review board. We asked everyone to document their actions and then share the experience with the world on social media platforms using the hashtags #getoffthebench and #blackoranges44. Please visit Instagram and Facebook to see the results. Hundreds of pictures were posted sharing activities of education, advocacy, and actions to help end systemic racism. Our initial goal to flood social media on July 4, with images and videos of love, charity and action was extremely successful along with numerous donations made to the Syracuse University “Our Time Has Come” Scholarship, (in Honor Of “Black Oranges”).
As a result of our initial efforts the Syracuse University department has asked a few members of Black Oranges to sit on advisory task force to help them with their Diversity and Inclusion efforts which we humbly accepted. We have also grown to 350 members, representing all sports, flavors of humanity and exceptional allies.
Black Oranges is a movement. We are asking all Black and Brown students, faculty, and all allies to join us to help reduce and eliminate systemic racism on college campuses, in communities of color and our country. www.blackoranges.org will be our home base, an online community resource that will organically grow to fit our community’s diverse needs and wants. BlackOranges.org will educate and empower people with specific approaches to confront systemic oppression head on.
As former SU student-athletes, we thrive when challenged but we need your help. As we head toward this journey of solidarity, growth, and activism we hope you join us in our daily efforts to end systemic racism and police brutality. Everything counts and everyone has a role to play in this movement. Let’s show America what true leadership, love, and unity looks like. Get off the bench because all lives can’t matter until “Black Lives Matter.”
Go Orange,
Black Oranges