The Boston Red Sox are showing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The phrase “Black Lives Matter” — written in the baseball team’s font — was on Wednesday placed on a massive, 254-foot billboard running alongside the Massachusetts Turnpike by Fenway Park.
“Recognizing that we have work to do ourselves, we wanted to show that we stand with those who are working to achieve racial equity,” Red Sox spokeswoman Zineb Curran told CNN in a statement. “The billboard is operated by the Red Sox Foundation and one of the ways we plan to feature the Black Lives Matter movement throughout the baseball season as a way to amplify the voices of those who share our values, but may not share our platform.”
Though the Red Sox have not spoken publicly about the billboard, manager Ron Roenicke said earlier this week that he supports any players who wish to take a knee, a gesture in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Red Sox Foundation website also features a June statement from president and CEO Sam Kennedy, condemning the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, calling them “stark reminders that racism and police brutality continue to be pervasive in America.”
“I am so grateful to my teammates who consistently remind me that the Red Sox have an obligation to amplify the voices of those who share our values, but do not share our platform. Silence in the face of injustice is unacceptable,” he wrote.
Last month, the foundation also tweeted that as part of its “commitment to amplify social justice,” it has put together a resource guide “outlining educational materials and recommended ways to help.”
