There hasn’t been a QB quite like Trevor Lawrence in college football who has used his platform to call for change in the wake of the death of George Floyd by Minneapolis cops.
The Clemson Tigers QB used his voice at a Black Lives Matter rally Saturday, first speaking to reporters before taking up the microphone at the protest and noting the importance of being uncomfortable.
Transcribed via 247 Sports:
“The past few weeks, I’ve been uncomfortable,” Lawrence said to the crowd. “That word ‘uncomfortable’ will be an important one in all of our steps in our journey to bring equality. I’ve learned that every truly good thing in life comes from being brave and stepping into the uncomfortable. It’s uncomfortable to set aside everything I know about America and listen to someone else’s perspective. However, it’s necessary.”
“I think really the momentum from the past few weeks has really helped a lot with us planning this and having the freedom to be able to do it, which has been awesome,” Lawrence told reporters. “And we got together as a team … as seniors two weeks ago at Coach [Dabo] Swinney’s house and just having conversations about what’s going on in our country and how each other feels. And we started to kind of understand one another a little bit better and it was from there we did that in team setting the next week and we realized like, this is really good, we need to get people together, bring people together for a common purpose peacefully. And we just feel like today was a good way to do that. I feel like we set it up in a way where it would be peaceful and then go create some change.”
Lawrence also spoke at the rally itself.
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“I’ve learned a lot in this past month,” Lawrence told the crowd. “There’s three main things that I’m learning. I’m learning to listen more; I’m learning that listening is usually more valuable than talking. You learn when you listen and you begin to understand when you listen. I’m learning to try and put myself in the shoes of those who are in pain. Empathy and compassion will be vital as we take the right steps towards reconciliation.
“I’m also learning that love can conquer all things, and love is what will bring change,” Lawrence said. “One of the most timely verses right now is 1 Peter 4:8, it says, ‘Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.’
“So let’s continue to listen, learn and love, even when it is uncomfortable—especially when its’ uncomfortable,” Lawrence said. “Because this is when change happens. And the world for generations to come will be different. It’ll be better. So thank you guys for coming out, and let this just be one of many steps in the right direction in the future.”
