Important Moments From Our Conversation On Racism

In the last two weeks, we have witnessed unprecedented events in America in response to the murder of a black man at the hands of a white police officer.  It was not the first time this has happened but it was the shocking video for all of us to see that has left a disturbing impression that will likely not be erased.

From this though a movement has formed in which people of all color have united to better understand the plight of black America and why it is very different from those of us who are White and have never been exposed to hatred just because of the color of our skin. The Shore Sports Network’s Kevin Williams hosted a roundtable discussion this week with three highly-respected African American figures from the shore area.

Tahj Holden was a standout basketball player at Red Bank Regional and the University of Maryland and is now the successful head coach at the Ranney School.

Tahj opened up about his personal experiences in dealing with racism:

Tahj helped to explain the Black Lives Matter movement and what it really means:

Tahj also made it clear that although current events are top of mind, we should be quick to overlook the past:

James Young also shined on the basketball court at Red Bank Catholic and Green Mountain College and has been a head coach at both Rumson and Red Bank Regional.  He is now the Associate Head Women’s coach at Monmouth University.

James also opened up about his experiences with racism:

James also went into the topic of sports and how it can be a bridge:

Dennis Adams was a standout at Manchester Township High School and later Swarthmore College and is the principal at Manchester, his Alma Mater.  He is also the father of four children, including three daughters who are/were very good basketball players.

Dennis recounted his own thoughts and experiences with police:

Dennis opened up about how he speaks with his children about race:

Dennis also described conversations with officials from his town:

These clips are only the tip of the iceberg and we encourage everyone to watch the entire discussion which took place earlier this week:

While the issue of racism certainly cannot be solved in one conversation, we look forward to doing our part and keeping it top of mind moving forward. Stay tuned for more segments like this one as we traverse these difficult waters.