A virtual summit involving the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Wings and other teams, is part of the Team Up for Change movement.
The summits are meant to unite, inspire and activate the NBA and WNBA’s commitment to racial equality and social justice.
Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jamahl Mosley said it's important for the teams to use their national platform in this way.
"It's something that's saying, 'We are going to be more than just athletes on the floor,'” Mosley said. “'We want to be a way that you can go about speaking your voice, using your voice to do something bigger than you.'"
This type of work isn't new for the Mavericks.
"In fact back in January the Dallas Mavericks were named Inclusion and Diversity Team of The Year in the NBA,” Maverick’s game night emcee and Inclusion Ambassador Chris Arnold said. “So we were already in the position. Because of Mark Cuban. Because of Cynt Marshal. We've had tremendous leadership and we've just basically continued to do what we've been doing."
Arnold said a major focus the NBA is voting rights.
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"The world is changing and because of all the different things that have been going on over this calendar year, from the pandemic to the social injustice protests, people are becoming more and more involved,” Arnold said. “The exclamation point is the voting. That's the most important thing you could possibly do."
Thirty NBA teams opened their doors as voting centers. The American Airlines Center is one of them. Mosley said he was grateful to see it take on a new role.
"For creating change and for people having the right to vote and understanding the power they have in voting,” Mosley said. “So now they can address it not just as a sports arena but now as an arena for change."
