Dawn Staley: Keep It Real or Keep It Moving

Dawn Staley: Keep It Real or Keep It Moving

© Ogbonna Paul Hagins for Philly Word Magazine and Freedmen’s Journal 2.0

Dawn, you say you’re not going to the Super Bowl because Donald Trump will be there. Cool. But let’s be real—if you’re gonna take a stand against racism, then go all the way with it. Don’t pick and choose when it’s convenient.

You Cool With Racist Money Though?

If Trump is a dealbreaker, then let’s talk about all that racist money sitting in your bank account. You cool with them $100 bills? Well, Benjamin Franklin was a racist. You spending them $50s? Ulysses S. Grant owned slaves before the war. Them $20s? Andrew Jackson—one of the biggest white supremacists in history. And don’t even get me started on them $1s, $5s, and $10s. If you’re serious about not messing with racists, then get rid of all that money. Matter fact, do something real with it—donate it to the Philadelphia Reparations Coalition for American Freedmen. It’s being led by one of your own Dobbins alumni, Class of ‘84—somebody who watched you shine as a ninth grader. Put your money where your protest is.

You Took White House Walks With a Klan Kid—But Trump Is Where You Draw the Line?

You stood at the White House, smiling, shaking hands, and walking arm-in-arm with Joe Biden. Let’s not act brand new. That man literally grew up in a Klan household—his dad was all about that racist life. And Biden’s closest friend in the Senate? Strom Thurmond. A hardcore segregationist. That man spent his whole career fighting against American Freedmen. But you was cool standing next to Biden when he honored you, right? So, explain this to me—why is Trump the problem, but Biden gets a pass?

South Carolina Was a Slave State—But You Still There

And let’s talk about where you coach. South Carolina—one of the biggest slave states in American history. Charleston was one of the largest slave ports. That university you work for? Built off the backs of enslaved people. You got no problem walking into that school every day, cashing those checks, and coaching for an institution that directly benefited from slavery. But Trump at a football game? That’s where you draw the line?

Be Consistent or Be Quiet

Dawn, you ain’t a ninth grader at Dobbins anymore. You a Hall of Famer, an Olympic coach, a leader. And leaders stand on principle, not convenience. If you’re gonna take a stance, be consistent. Because right now, the message you sending these young girls? “Protest when it’s easy. Stay quiet when it pays.”

So, what’s it gonna be? You keeping it real, or you just performing?