Glenn Burke was the first athlete of a major American sports league to come out as gay. On October 2, 1977, he was the first to give a high-five in sports to his teammate Dusty Baker while on the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is a Black queer sports icon whose story should be elevated, honored, and celebrated. 

Burke was born and raised in the East Bay, growing up on 62nd street on the border of Berkeley and Oakland. As a graduate of Berkeley High School who played for the Oakland Athletics for 2 seasons from 1978-1979, the A's should honor his memory with the beginning of a "Glenn Burke Day" on the 2021 gameday schedule, to continue in perpetuity. 

We propose the following: 

1. The A's establish a "Glenn Burke Day" on the 2021 gameday schedule and beyond to coincide with Pride Month. 
2. A portion of the ticket proceeds of that day (at least 10%) are donated to the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, a #RootedinOakland organization that the A's have donated to in the past. 

While Burke also lived in the Castro District in San Francisco for some time in his life, the A's can take the lead here as the premier Bay Area baseball team while committing resources to a place that serves many Black, queer people today in Oakland benefit from, the Oakland LGBT Community Center. Founded by Jeff Myers and Joe Hawkin in 2017, the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center is dedicated to enhancing and sustaining the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, our families and allies, by providing educational, social, and health-related activities, programs and services. 

Recent comments by a Cincinnati sportscaster underscore that homophobia in baseball is far from dead and gone. By highlighting the history of a critical Black, LGBTQ+ sports icon, the A's can help change the culture in the MLB and sports. They can inspire young, queer athletes to commit to the games they love while bringing their authentic selves to the plate every day. 

The A’s have already affirmed their commitment as an organization to Black Lives Matter by donating to the Oakland NAACP, 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, and the East Oakland Youth Development Center. They can continue their mission by committing proceeds to the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center to show that Black Queer Lives Matter too. 

Whether you're an A's fan, a sports enthusiast who believes we can continue to bring more equity and representation to the major leagues, or an LGBTQ+ advocate who believe the stories of more Black queer people should be elevated, your support of this petition and campaign would be greatly appreciated.