Celtics addressing racial injustice with 10-year, $25 million commitment

The Boston Celtics are standing by their players’ fight against racial injustice and the need for a change.

Led by the Celtics investor group, the Celtics pledge to commit $25 million over the next 10 years to address racial injustices and social inequities in the greater Boston area. The financial backing will also help create local programs built on the six pillars of equity in education, economic opportunity and empowerment, equity in healthcare, criminal justice and law enforcement, breaking down barriers and building bridges between communities and voting and civic engagement.

The Celtics effort to combat systemic racism will be known at the Boston Celtics United for Social Justice.

“Our goal is to have a direct impact now,” said Celtics forward Jaylen Brown in a statement. “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. 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.”

Brown has been a leading figure not only for the Celtics in the fight for social and racial justice, but the NBA as well. The aforementioned pillars of the Celtics United for Social Justice initiative were constructed from discussions between Celtics players, owners, coaches, front office staff and leaders in the community.

“We feel both the urgency of the moment and the weight of the centuries of injustices as we undertake this critically important work,” said Steve Pagliuca, Celtics Managing Partner and Alternate Governor and Chairman of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, also in a statement. “The Boston Celtics have a proud legacy of being on the right side of racial and social justice, and we are more resolved than ever to take that commitment to another level. Our goal is to do everything we can to achieve progress on each of the targeted pillars, and we will work tirelessly to make real change.”