NFL
By: Zachary Draves
The NBA presents their annual Kareem Abdul Jabbar Social Justice Award to a player for their contributions to social justice. The recipient is honored for “pursuing social justice and advancing Abdul Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically marginalized or systematically disadvantaged.” This year’s winner was Dallas Mavericks guard-forward Reggie Bullock.
A committee of social justice activists and organizations selected him out of five finalists. The other four were Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Fred VanVleet (Toronto Raptors). Upon receiving the award, he received a personal congratulations from Kareem who joined via teleconference.
A very special guest dropped in to present @ReggieBullock35 with his award. (@kaj33)
We love you, Reg! 🏆 🙌 #MFFL #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/59zDGlz0LC
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 23, 2022
(Courtesy: Twitter)
Reggie was honored for his advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, a cause that is personal to him.
His sister Mia Henderson, a transgender woman, was murdered in 2014. Shawn Oliver the man accused of her murder was found not guilty in a jury trial. It rocked Reggie and his family to the core. It propelled him to become one of the most visible cisgender straight-identified allies in sports. He began his work by reaching out and looking to understand what it meant to be transgender, something that he admitted to not entirely grasping before he lost his sister. Since then, he has formed partnerships with the NBA to support LGBTQ+ youth and allies. In 2018, he was honored at the GLAAD Media Awards.
His example was on full display in a 2019 Vice News feature where he meets with an LGBTQ+ support group and shares Mia’s story. The film also captures him, his son Treyson, then five, and Commissioner Adam Silver at the New York City Pride Parade in 2018. He says he plans on attending this June.
A critical part of Reggie’s work is highlighting the escalating epidemic of violence against the transgender community. According to the Human Rights Campaign, fourteen transgender and gender non-conforming people have died this year due to acts of violence. The victims are overwhelmingly black and brown trans women. These are just the ones we hear. Given the heightened anti-trans sentiments throughout society, who knows how many more?
Reggie’s advocacy has also found a place in the legislative battle. In 2020, he wrote an open letter opposing Idaho’s House Bill 500 which banned transgender women and girls from competing in sports.
Since joining the Mavericks in 2021, Reggie has formed additional partnerships with local LGBTQ+ organizations such as Abounding Prosperity, Dallas Southern Pride, House of Rebirth, The Resource Center, The Black-Tie Dinner, and the Muhlashia Booker Foundation. In addition, he spearheaded conversations on Trans Day of Visibility (March 31) as part of the Mavs Take ACTION! Initiative. As part of receiving the award, he gave a $100,000 contribution to the organization of his choice. He chose Kinston Teens, a youth service organization based in his hometown of Kinston, North Carolina.
He’s also formed his own organization called RemarkaBULL, which works to provide housing and safety to members of the LGBTQ+ community. If there is one word that can be used to describe Reggie’s advocacy it would have to be holistic because he’s focused on a wide range of issues and tackling them through various efforts such as writing, speaking, and direct service. In addition he is meeting the moment when it comes to the crises of violence and housing that has a disproportinate effect on the LGBTQ+ community.
Reggie intends to continue the work and honor the life of his sister. He also hopes that more will join him in the pursuit of equality.
“Hopefully more will join the work” he said.
“I just want to be able to use my platform and take my work and push it out to the community.”
The Mavericks will likely get swept by the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, but for Reggie, his legacy will be for what he did off the court.
