The Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors kneel during the National Anthem prior to the start of Game Five of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at The Field House at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 07, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/AFP
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics and their charitable arm, the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, are committing $25 million over the next 10 years for initiatives to address racial injustice and social inequities in the greater Boston area.
The commitment will include $20 million in cash and $5 million in media assets to support the NBA’s efforts, as well as local programs focused on six specific areas that were identified in discussions with community leaders and Celtics players. The collective effort will be called Boston Celtics United for Social Change.
The six areas the efforts will focus on are equity in education, economic opportunity, equity in health care, criminal and law enforcement, breaking down barriers and building bridges between communities, and voting and civic engagement.
“We feel both the urgency of the moment and the weight of the centuries of injustices as we undertake this critically important work,” Steve Pagliuca, Celtics managing partner chairman of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, said in a statement.
Celtics forward Jaylen Brown, who has been outspoken on social issues in recent months, said the goal is to have an immediate and direct impact.
“We don’t need to pacify the situation with empty gestures. We need to hold ourselves, the Celtics organization and the city of Boston accountable,” he said. “Monetary commitment is a great first step, but we need to commit to this process by creating a balance of short and long-term change. The time is now.”