Pittsburgh Steelers’ Zach Banner will join a virtual panel on Thursday, July 23 to discuss solidarity with Black and Jewish communities.
The offensive tackle will talk with Black and Jewish activists about the importance of working together to fight racism and anti-Semitism, following recent anti-Semitic comments from DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Banner was among the first NFL players to respond to Jackson’s hateful comments.
“No matter how big my platform is, I’m just one voice,” Banner said. “What we need is more. More voices speaking out against injustice. More commitment to changing systems that perpetuate this violence and hate. More empathy and understanding and inclusion for one another. I’m eager to participate in a conversation that is about just that, how we can make Pittsburgh a place where healing can happen.”
The panelists include Pittsburgh hip-hop artist Jasiri X, founder of 1Hood Media; Julie Mallis, director of the Pittsburgh office of Repair the World, a Jewish social justice group; sportswriter Jonathan Mayo, core leader of the Pittsburgh chapter of Bend the Arc Jewish Action; and Graie Hagans, national organizer and training manager of Bend the Arc Jewish Action. Michelle King, an educational equity expert, will moderate the discussion.
This video is to transition from the incident, and move forward as a community. Not to harp on @DeSeanJackson10 mistake, but to progress by educating ourselves. We can’t move forward while allowing ourselves to leave another minority race in the dark.#Equality pic.twitter.com/MnLnCCYzQL
— Zach Banner (@ZBNFL) July 8, 2020
This conversation is particularly poignant in Pittsburgh, Mayo said, citing the 2018 mass shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue and the death of Antwon Rose II at the hands of a police officer.
“We cannot let ourselves be divided now,” Mayo said. “We must join together in solidarity and support for Black lives, including Black Jews and Jews of color.”
The virtual event will take be held July 23 at 7 p.m. online at Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Pittsburgh’s YouTube channel.
