Featuring:
Jason Collins, Former NBA Player (All-American, Stanford)
Key Takeaways
- You have all these stereotypes as a young person that you take a look at and then you realize you don't have to fit any of them. It's ok just to be you.
- As human beings we aren't just one thing. Stereotypes are created by people who want to make things simple but humanity is much more complex than that.
- As a Black man Jason was surrounded by people who built him up and helped him "thicken his armor". His experience as a young man who was gay but not out was a little different.
- There is great value in learning how to be proud of and celebrate all of the things that make you who you are.
Things to Think About
- What are some stereotypes that people have or might try to apply to you?
- How might you challenge negative stereotypes?
- What is one thing about yourself that you are proud of?
Ways to Practice
- What's a responsibility you can commit to this week? Pick one for your sport and one outside of sports.
- What's one way you can help someone else take on their responsibilities this week?
Watch more content from Jason Collins on P/ATH Sports:
Creating welcoming environments
Choosing role models
P/ATH Sports, founded by Cassidy Lichtman, is a non-profit organization that believes that healing the divisions in our society in the long run depends on teaching young people new skills around empathy, equity and empowerment. P/ATH offers free content featuring some of the most successful athletes and coaches across sports using their experience to teach lessons around how to build mindset skills, develop great team culture, break out of the boxes we get put in and how the most valuable life lessons we learn in sports can transfer off the court or field.
