Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk is speaking out about the need for equality among the team, and taking a strong stand against any form of racism, in light of the tragic death of George Floyd. In a statement shared both on social media and on the official website of the Tennessee Titans, Amy stressed not only the importance of making those who have been impacted by racism be heard, but also vowed to take proactive steps towards ending any form of racial injustice.
“I want to add my voice and the voice of our organization to the calls for equality and reiterate our firm stance against all forms of racism,” Amy began. “Hearts, minds and institutions need to change throughout our country. Those who face racism need to be heard, and more importantly, understood by those who haven’t listened before.
“Our organization and our players have dedicated time and resources to these issues through the ‘We Stand For’ campaign and we are making a difference in our own community, tackling issues like educational equity, judicial reform, policing policies and assistance for underserved areas,” she continued. “We are proud to support those efforts and we will continue to find ways to impact our region. As part of this, we are providing information to our fans through a resource guide so others can join us in these steps to progress.”
Amy is not the only person who is speaking out. Coach Mike Vrabel and safety Kevin Byard have also voiced their strong opposition to racism, among others.
“Hearing our players and coaches speak over the last two weeks has been constructive to this vital discussion,” Amy concluded. “I support our players using peaceful protests and their platforms to advance us as a nation. I would encourage those who haven’t thought about these issues before to understand the pain, anger and frustration of the black community. Black lives matter. We should all agree on that.”
Statement from Amy Adams Strunk
Titans Resource Guide: https://t.co/IrhI2dGyIZ pic.twitter.com/3ITBmQlPMb
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) June 11, 2020
When Coach Vrabel shared his thoughts, during a Zoom call intended for the defensive assistant coaches, he said that he and Amy, along with the general manager, Jon Robinson, have been working hard to listen to the voices of their black players and employees.
“Amy, Jon and myself have tried to put great people and great fathers and great husbands and great student-athletes onto our football team,” Mike noted. “And the majority of those men are African American, with a much different experience and background than I’ll ever know. And by listening and understanding, those thoughts and feelings, how they feel, has helped me recognize, I think, what’s important.
“And what’s important is that we find ways to respect each other’s feelings,” he added. “We respect each other’s beliefs, that we respect each other’s efforts to make positive change in our community where we work, the communities where we live and the communities where we grew up.”
The first preseason game for the Titans is currently scheduled to take place on August 15, in Washington against the Redskins.
