Involved at many levels through community programs, LeBron James prepares to take part in the collective’s latest campaign More Than a Vote (More Than a Vote) ahead of the US election, which aims to combat misinformation among young African Americans.
Having taken a stand against President Donald Trump on several occasions, James, like the collective he is a part of, wants to counter the false information circulating on social media by responding with the help of a campaign broadcast on Snapchat on the day of the election.
This is the latest of several initiatives by More Than a Vote, which has also invested in recruiting large numbers of volunteers for the ballot and converting NBA arenas into a polling station.
“It’s simple. We believe black people, our community, have been taken away from our civic duty, James said in an interview with the daily New York Times published Wednesday. We have been fed disinformation for many years. ”
“And I’m in a position where I can educate people and, thanks to More Than a Vote, educate them on the importance of this movement and the importance of their civic duty. Not only to take responsibility, but also to give back to their community. ”
Changing the mindset
But more than the erroneous information circulating, a whole mentality, well established, must change. Indeed, the idea that a vote alone does not matter must go, according to the one who has just won a fourth NBA championship, a first with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Thus, the star player wants to fight against the phenomenon of “vote suppression”, which consists of discouraging people from going to the polling stations.
“It’s true to who I am. I come from the black community. I understand my people and what we go through on a daily basis. I understand that we haven’t received a lot of information over time and I understand how important our vote is. ”
“Because a lot of us thought our vote didn’t matter: that’s what they were taught, this is how they were educated, what they always felt. They felt a bit institutionalized. But I want to give them the right information, I want them to know how important they can be. “
In addition to his participation in this collective, James has been involved in his native community in Akron, Ohio. His Foundation notably helped to found the school I Promise School, which aims to help children affected by poverty and other barriers to academic success.