[SAEN] 在对 DEI 的攻击背景下，马刺队庆祝黑人文化遗产

点击查看原文：Against backdrop of attacks on DEI, Spurs celebrate Black heritage

Against backdrop of attacks on DEI, Spurs celebrate Black heritage

The Spurs are holding their Black Heritage Night on Saturday when they host the Miami Heat at the Frost Bank Center.

Black Heritage Night is one of the franchise’s annual theme nights, but this season’s celebration takes on greater meaning after President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive order eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the U.S. government. Several major corporations, including Target and Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, have followed Trump’s lead by either eliminating or rolling back their DEI goals,

Trump believes DEI laws and programs threaten merit-based hiring, promotion and educational opportunities of white people, especially white men.

“I think it’s always important to just acknowledge the effort and the work of minorities, not only in the city of San Antonio, but just in general in this country,” Spurs forward Harrison Barnes said Friday. “How this country was built, how we came to be here and what this country represents, I think it’s important to acknowledge the true history of how that came to be.”

Black Heritage Night kicks off the Spurs’ month-long celebration of Black History Month. “Amplify Voices, Power Action, Build Joy” is the franchise’s theme for the celebration, which will be highlighted by a $10,000 donation to Huston-Tillotson University.

Since 2017, Spurs Give, the organization’s charitable arm, has donated more than $120,000 to the school.

The Spurs, in partnership with Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, will also honor three local trailblazers Saturday night: Valerie Reiffert, a leader in voter registration, civic engagement and social justice; Bishop Rosa L. Wilson, a visionary community leader and the first woman to preach at several major churches; and Mario Marcel Salas, an advocate for civil rights, education and political progress.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who has been away from the team undergoing rehab since suffering what the club called a mild stroke Nov. 2, has long been a vocal champion of social justice issues.

The Spurs held their annual Pride Night in December to celebrate the LGBTQ community.

Trump has signed several executive orders to remove protections for transgender people, including ones this week that sought to end gender-affirming medical treatments for children and teenagers under the age of 19 and one banning transgender troops from serving openly in the military.

On Pride Night in 2023, Popovich talked about his hope that it would help San Antonio become more accepting of LGBTQ people.

“Nothing changes without bringing it to the attention of the population,” said Popovich, who is away from the team while going through rehab following the mild stroke he suffered Nov. 2.

Speaking at his pre-game news conference on Pride Night in 2023, Popovich said actions by the Texas politicians and the state’s legislature against the LGBTQ community were part of an effort nationwide by “idiot” leaders to curtail the rights of the marginalized.

“We have gone backward in a lot of those areas, whether it’s LGBTQ rights or voting rights or women’s rights, the environment,” Popovich said. “We have a lot of idiots in leadership in many places both local and national, and you have to work to not be angry or depressed about the backsliding we have done in all these areas. LGBTQ rights is obviously one of those areas.”

Johnson focused on play as trade rumors swirl

Spurs forward Keldon Johnson is finding his name once again being bandied about in trade speculation as the Feb. 6 league deadline for deals approaches.

Asked how he copes with it, Johnson said, “What is there to cope with? When you talk about trade stuff, that’s business above my pay grade, nothing I can control. What I can control is going out there playing hard for my teammates every night, my coaches every night and continue to be myself.”

In his sixth season with the Spurs after they selected him 29th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Johnson, 25, is the longest-tenured current Spur.

“Keldon has bought into this program as much as any other player since I’ve been here,” acting Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.

The Spurs have long raved about Johnson’s energetic, enthusiastic style of play and attitude and his devotion to the community, but he’s considered an appealing trade option because of his declining contract. He’s collecting $19 million this season, but his salary dips to $17.5 million over the next two seasons.