“Soccer played a unique role in the history of colonialism and racism. Because of that history, the pitch has become a key space where anti-racist movement takes place.”
By Jinseong Kim
Last Thursday, Feb 10th, AFC Ann Arbor conducted a meeting to reinforce the role of the club as a member of the Anti Racist Soccer Club and reiterate the knowledge of anti-racism. The meeting was put forth thanks to an essential partnership between AFCAA and The Sporting Justice Collective.
The virtual meeting commenced with a presentation from Dr. Anthony Weems, founder of The Sporting Justice Collective, on the history of racism, what defines it and the mindset we need to embrace as an anti-racist club. One of the examples ties with the club’s decision to forego playing the national anthem before the match, as it glorifies colonialism and slavery.
Club officials, including club chair Bilal Saeed, club founder Jamey Amrine, club sporting director Eric Rudland, and many others were present at the meeting and actively engaged in conversation on how soccer can kick racism and prejudice out. The Main Street Hooligans, AFCAA’s main supporting group, also participated in the discussion and agreed to put in even further efforts to create a diverse, safe community.
“The meeting with AFC Ann Arbor was an inspiring opportunity to talk about racism and anti-racism in sport,” Dr. Weems said. He continued, I’m grateful for everyone’s engagement and I hope this meeting serves as a foundation for continued reflection and growth. These are the types of discussions we need to be having, not only as professionals in the world of sport but as a broader community.”
Dr. Weems pointed out how soccer can be an effective tool to demolish racism that is still prominent. “Soccer played a unique role in the history of colonialism and racism. Because of that history, the pitch has become a key space where anti-racist movement takes place. Soccer is a “beautiful game” and that is why we all have a responsibility to ensure it is a safe space for all in the intergenerational fight for equity and justice.”
On the club’s side, Bilal Saeed, club chair, reinforced the club’s path to creating a truly inclusive community and is eager to continue this discussion. “Dr. Weems's words were very powerful, and you could feel the impact it made on our club immediately. It was impactful knowing that we had so many areas of the club represented on the call, from the supporters, to owners, to the media team, to the entire coaching staff. These types of conversations are meant to educate us and inspire and both of those were accomplished thanks to The Sporting Justice Collective.”
About AFC Ann Arbor
Association Football Club Ann Arbor (AFC Ann Arbor) was founded in 2014, and competes in USL2 (men’s) and USLW (women’s) national amateur leagues. We are a community-based club, focused on equity, justice, and anti-racism. We consider all of our stakeholders, including supporters, players, staff, and ownership to be part of the #AFCAAFamily. Come On You Mighty Oak!