Miami Heat's Udonis Haslem joins LeBron James in group fighting voter suppression
Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem is among several black athletes and entertainers who have partnered with LeBron James to form a group to fight voter suppression.
James announced Wednesday he is heading "More Than A Vote," a nonprofit movement attempting to motivate minority voters for the upcoming presidential election.
"Because of everything that's going on, people are finally starting to listen to us -- we feel like we're finally getting a foot in the door," James told The New York Times. "How long is up to us. We don't know. But we feel like we're getting some ears and some attention, and this is the time for us to finally make a difference."
Haslem is one of the many NBA players on the board, with each responsible for promoting it in their communities. The list includes current players Draymond Green and Trae Young and former stars Sam Perkins and Stephen Jackson. The launch comes at a time the country is addressing social injustice issues, including the death of George Floyd. Last month Floyd died after being in custody of four Minneapolis police officers. It led to protests across the nation.
Haslem has been vocal on the subject for the past few weeks. He recently spoke against police brutality while advocating positive law enforcement in a news conference in Miami.
"Just because I don't get the minutes that I used to get don't mean that I'm going to fade away and you're not going to see me or hear from me," Haslem said . I'm going to figure out a way to master the role that I have. The role that I have now is to be a leader."
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