Welcome to Coach Notes, a fortnightly newsletter by me, James Leath of Unleash the Athlete, with a focus on athlete performance, coach development, parent education, and athletic director support. P.S. Was this email forwarded to you? You need your own

On Wednesday, I sent out a Coach Note but failed to say anything about the current state of affairs in America. This was an error on my part, and thankfully it was brought to my attention by a friend that I should not miss an opportunity to share resources I am aware of on issues I care deeply about, not just on social media, but when and wherever I can. 

I am in full support of #BlackLivesMatters. If that offends you, or you prefer I say #AllLivesMatter, there is an unsubscribe link at the bottom of this newsletter I encourage you to click on. 

The time for observing and hoping things will get better is over. I know I will never understand, but I will continue to stand (or kneel) with my brothers and sisters without hesitation. 

I am always looking for ways to educate myself and to become more aware of how my actions effect those around me and how my biases effect my thoughts. Below are some resources I have found valuable that I wanted to share with you. 

    READ

    White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
    Exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality.

    The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism
    Antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’.

    I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
    This book captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide.

    How to Be an Antiracist
    This book takes readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas—from the most basic concepts to visionary possibilites —that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves.

    WATCH

    George Floyd, Minneapolis Protests, Ahmaud Arbery & Amy Cooper | The Daily Social Distancing Show
    Trevor shares his thoughts on the killing of George Floyd, the protests in Minneapolis, the dominos of racial injustice and police brutality, and how the contract between society and black Americans has been broken time and time again.

    When They See Us (Netflix)
    In 1989 a jogger was assaulted and raped in New York's Central Park, and five young people were subsequently charged with the crime. They didn't do it and here is their story. 

    If Beale Street Could Talk (Netflix)
    If Beale Street Could Talk is a 1974 novel by American writer James Baldwin. His fifth novel, it is a love story set in Harlem in the early 1970s. The title is a reference to the 1916 W.C. Handy blues song "Beale Street Blues", named after Beale Street in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee

    13th (Netflix and YouTube)
    Combining archival footage with testimony from activists and scholars, director Ava DuVernay's examination of the U.S. prison system looks at how the country's history of racial inequality drives the high rate of incarceration in America.

    Just Mercy (https://www.justmercyfilm.com/)
    Just Mercy follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his history-making battle for justice.

    LISTEN

    Champions of Change: the RISE Podcast
    Champions of Change: The RISE Podcast gives athletes and leaders in sports a platform to tell their stories and share their perspectives on issues of athlete activism, social justice and diversity in sports.

    1619
    In August of 1619, a ship carrying more than 20 enslaved Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia. America was not yet America, but this was the moment it began. No aspect of the country that would be formed here has been untouched by the 250 years of slavery that followed. On the 400th anniversary of this fateful moment, it is time to tell the story.

    Code Switch
    This podcast tackles the subject of race head-on. They explore how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between.

    Seeing White
    Scene on Radio host and producer John Biewen took a deep dive into these questions, along with an array of leading scholars and regular guest Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika, in this fourteen-part documentary series, released between February and August 2017.

    Stay safe, love generously, and live on purpose.

    Sincerely,

    James Leath

    James
    Leath
    coach@jamesleath.com
    TEXT (972) 236-5924
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    Unleash the Athlete

    Frisco, TX 75034 United States

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