Alabama Football Releases Powerful Video Concerning Racial Injustice

Alex Leatherwood wrote the script that players and coach Nick Saban read from

On Thursday afternoon, the University of Alabama football team's official Twitter account released a video message concerning the racial inequalities and injustices facing America today. 

The message was written by senior offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood, who was named to Sporting News' 2020 Preseason All-America First-Team earlier today. 

Several players and Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban read the statement in the two-minute clip. A full transcript is listed below:

"We are a team, black, white, brown. Together, we are a family, we are brothers. We represent ourselves, our families, our hometowns, our university and our country. We stand on the shoulders of giants, our grandparents and parents, our ancestors, our heroes, Alabama alumni and former players who have changed the world.

"Beginning on our historic campus, we speak as one, acknowledging our history, honoring their legacy and building a better, more just future. On the field, we are relentless, we are strong, we are conquerors, but we are human beings first. And in this moment in history, we can't be silent. We must speak up for our brothers and sisters, for our sons and daughters. 

"We speak for justice, for fairness, for equality, for greater understanding. We stand together against racism, against brutality, against violence for a better world.

"When we see our families, our neighbors, our classmates subjected to violence, we recognize the fear in their eyes. And when we experience racism, it hurts. In the game, we are one team, one heartbeat, one mission, yet we are diverse. We don't always agree, but we learn so much from each other and we are so much better together.

"Until I listen with an open heart and mind, I can't understand his experience and his pain. The virus has shown us how much we benefit from being together and how much we need each other. We believe the solutions to our challenges are within us. We choose to listen, we choose to listen and understand other's perspectives.

"Let's listen, let's unite, because all lives can't matter until black lives matter."