LeBron James is a four-time MVP, four-time NBA Finals MVP, four-time NBA champion and has won two Olympic gold medals. James has been great on the court, but he has also been sensational off the court.
He has built a public elementary school for at-risk students in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, called the I Promise School. He has his own charity foundation called the LeBron James Family Foundation, which does a lot for the community. Although James has already done a lot to uplift his community and several others, his next feat was to make a mark in the 2020 elections by battling voter suppression and ignorance.
James created a movement and a nonprofit organization called More Than a Vote. The aim of this group was to register voters and to spread awareness about the importance of voting in a democratic nation. This group has attracted several popular athletes and celebrities from the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, tennis and soccer. More Than A Vote has also drawn some of the NFL’s biggest names, like Odell Beckham Jr. and Patrick Mahomes.
James has spoken about how it is extremely difficult to convince young people that their vote and voice matter.
“It's hard as hell, because they just don't believe it,’’ James said in an interview. “They don't believe that their vote or their message or their minds or their voices matter. But that's where my energy is, on continuing to push the envelope in my community, continue to let them know that they are the future, they are the reason why there will be change.’’
The state of Florida has a law stating that felons have to pay all court fines and fees before regaining their voting eligibility. Michael Bloomberg, former New York City mayor, and James spearheaded the movement of helping almost 13,000 felons of Florida be able to vote. Bloomberg and James, among other celebrities, paid approximately $27 million in this effort.
More Than a Vote managed to sign up 10,000 volunteer poll workers. Poll workers are officials who are responsible for the proper and orderly voting at poll stations. This a significant milestone for the organization, spearheaded by James, in combating systemic racism and voter suppression.
In Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Finals, former President Barack Obama appeared as a virtual fan. "I wanted to come on to give a shoutout to all the folks who are volunteering as poll workers in this upcoming election. It can be a thankless job, it's not one of those things you think about but it is absolutely vital for a democracy and I appreciate you," he said in a video.
James has stood up for his community and voiced his outrage during the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and several others that have faced unjustified police brutality. James has been vocal about creating social change and eradicating racial injustice. It is exciting and heartwarming to see what a beloved leader like James does next to improve the society and make the world a better place.
