Is it a time to conform? Is it a time to seek friendship? Is it a time to challenge? Is it a time to make change?

I believe that history is indeed repeating itself and changes have been needed for so long now.  Challenges have always been obstacles, but it's how we go over those walls, make way to go through them, and/or create a path to go around it.  Friendship isn't to be sought out for, from my experience I know the friends that are still around and are with you through all your ups and downs are your true friends.  Friendship comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors.  

Today I felt like I needed to draw out something and the first thing I could picture in my mind was the powerful clenched fist. The closed raised fist we often see being held up is a symbol of solidarity & support. It's also used as a salute to express unity, strength, defiance, and/or resistance. We need to understand why, what, when, and how this symbolic gesture is historically used. They mean different things even in regards to the left and right hand. This sign (sometimes including holding an item has meaning) was used in wars, black power movement, olympics, feminism, black lives matter activists & more... 

One event that I remember learning about and I connected with was during the medal ceremony in the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City on October 16, 1968, two African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos each raised a black-gloved fist during the playing of the US national anthem on the podium seen by people all over the world. They ended up losing their medals, forced off the USA team, and persevered even more after that event. A strong and powerful statement even til this day.

I'm writing this to hope they receive the medals they deserve!  When they competed, they represented the U.S.A. and made records not just in the Olympics but all over the world.  They not only made history, but now more than ever should they be rewarded with what they earned which is long overdue!!  Together, we can make this happen. 

I am a Filipino American, born in San Francisco, and proud to be part of the movement. I'm a P.E. Instructor, coach & trainer, but that doesn't mean we can't teach anything in regards to culture and equality. As a Physical Education instructor, I always try to instill culture to/with our students in whatever we do in life, sports, etc. By addressing it, discussing, and talking about the importance of how diverse our community is here in the Bay Area. I believe in the youth being the future of our world. It starts at a young age and we need to be able to inform students/our kids about helping process what we see, know, hear, and be able to realize whats going on with the world. I want to show my students that we can make a difference!  We all need to better ourselves to be able to push that change we're all not just looking forward to but finally reach it together.  LETS MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/articles/olympic-athletes-who-took-a-stand-593920/

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/olympic-protestors-stripped-of-their-medals

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-spt-tommie-smith-john-carlos-olympics-protest-20181016-story.html

https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/forty-five-years-later-john-carlos-and-tommie-smith-have-never-been-more-relevant/

https://people.com/sports/tommie-smith-john-carlos-fist-protest-hall-of-fame/

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/jenkins/article/At-last-Smith-and-Carlos-get-Olympic-recognition-14462313.php

https://www.history.com/news/1968-mexico-city-olympics-black-power-protest-backlash

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/09/24/they-didnt-takeaknee-the-black-power-protest-salute-that-shook-the-world-in-1968/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2018/10/16/a-cry-freedom-black-power-salute-that-rocked-world-years-ago/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/nancy-armour/2019/09/23/olympics-tommie-smith-john-carlos-get-recognition-they-deserve/2423576001/

#BlackLivesMatter #BLM #TommieSmith #JohnCarlos #Olympics