Matt Ryan announced he had started a fundraiser to “help improve the community for people of color in the city of Atlanta” with a $500,000 donation following George Floyd’s death.
“Last week I made a commitment to listening and learning, and one of the messages that hit home for me was the difference between reacting to a situation and responding to a situation,” the 35-year-old Atlanta Falcons QB shared in post he tweeted Friday, along with link to a GoFundMe page under the title, “Advancing The Lives (ATL) Of The Black Community.” The post was noted by ESPN.com. (RELATED: Minneapolis 3rd Police Precinct On Fire After Officers Evacuate Building Amid George Floyd Riots)
https://t.co/4hn6uy9ffq pic.twitter.com/2Lm7dxoBrA
— Matt Ryan (@M_Ryan02) June 5, 2020
“For far too long I have reacted to social injustice with empathy and silent support but failed to follow through with active support,” he added. “I feel the time has come to RESPOND. For ALL of us to respond.”(RELATED: Justice Department Considering Whether To Pursue Hate Crime Charges In Ahmaud Arbery Murder Case)
Ryan continued, while sharing that he sees his “city hurting, which is why I’m starting a fundraiser to help improve the community for people of color in the city of Atlanta.”
The NFL star then announced he was kicking off his fundraiser “with a $500K donation and am asking you to consider donating as well. Whether big or small, you will be joining me in making a difference.”
View this post on Instagram
“Over the next few weeks/months I’ll be really listening to the needs of the community and working with black business leaders, sports figures, activists and local grassroots organizations to get guidance on how these donations can be most impactful,” his statement on the page concluded.
The goal of the fundraiser is to raise $2 million. At the time of this publication the total was at more than $545, 000.
It all comes after more than a week of riots and protests across the country following Floyd’s death, the man who died while in custody of a Minneapolis police officer.