Watching the Chicago Bears lock arms with the Detroit Lions in recognition of social justice before the season-opening kickoff, several PNW students said they were glad to see the unity.  

“I think the organization has done an amazing job of supporting their players’ actions on beating racism,” said senior Sonny Santana, a lifetime Bears fan. “They’ve let them use their status to bring [awareness for] those who can’t speak or be heard.”

Senior Rahim Evans, a member of PNW’s Brother 2 Brother organization that works to address challenges facing Black and Latino students, agreed.

“The NFL protests are something that showcases how tired people are of the mistreatment of minorities,” said Evans“ That players are real people with emotions and empathy.”

One student emphasized that the protest underscores issues that confront athletes and their communities.

“[Professional football] predominantly consists of African Americans and I absolutely love that they have the chance to talk about things that affect them,” said sophomore Holly Shaginaw, a member of PNW’s cross country team. “I believe athletes should use their voices and the Bears did a great job at showing that.”