5 times when NBA's vaccine rebel Kyrie Irving gave back to the society
Brooklyn Nets' superstar Kyrie Irving has been in the eye of the storm recently for becoming the face of anti-vaxxers in the NBA with his refusal in getting the COVID-19 vaccine. A lot has been said about Kyrie's inherent selfishness, his mindset that puts him in front of others, his attitude which has caused problems for both him and his teammates and his outlandish statements. All of this talks about Kyrie Irving, the basketball star and not Kyrie the human being.
Kyrie has been one of the most outspoken and vocal athletes when it comes to social justice issues. He backs up these conversations with action, using the Kyrie Andrew Irving Foundation and other initiatives like the KAI Empowerment Initiative to help various causes. He has been at the forefront of giving back to society and has not shied away from speaking up on issues that a person of his stature would usually stay away from.
Kyrie Irving made donations every single day from December 1st to 11th, according to an article by Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. When asked about his charitable ventures in an interview with Winfield, Kyrie said,
“There’s a deeper level of emotions that I have for helping and serving people around the world. And I’ve done it since I was a kid. I’ll continue on my way after basketball. There’s nothing normal about this life that I live. It’s just something I’ve come to accept and embrace. Let me use this as a tool to be able to change things that I want to see in the world, and I have to be honest with myself about how much energy I give that, and how many others I’m impacting.”
Kyrie's words and actions when it comes to societal problems are aligned as he wants to make this world a better place by using basketball as a platform to do so. Irving's contributions and actions off the court talk louder than his problems on the court for him and will continue to do so as he strives to uplift the world.
Kyrie Irving has done an outstanding job giving back 👏 @KyrieIrving https://t.co/uEg3ywxsjW
Without further ado, here are five significant contributions by Kyrie Irving.
Five significant contributions by Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving
#5 Donating a house to George Floyd's Family
The death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black security officer at the hands of a former police officer Derek Chauvin, who knealt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes to restrain him until he died of suffocation despite him complaining of feeling breathless. The incident sent ripples throughout the country as many took to the streets and to their platforms to condemn the incident and seek justice for George Floyd.
Kyrie Irving was among the many in his NBA brethren to use his platform to talk about the issue of police brutality and systemic racism which had led to the death of Floyd and many others like him. The incident brought the community a lot closer as various celebrities and athletes stepped up to help the family during their tough time. Kyrie went one step further as he bought a house for George Floyd's family, according to former NBA player and Floyd's close friend, Stephen Jackson.
Irving spoke about the gesture at a news conference, saying,
"I just want to keep continuing to fulfill our purpose in serving a lot of the underserved communities. Those don't necessarily get the same attention from just others around. So, just trying to do my part with service, that's all."
Kyrie's gesture will surely go a long way in helping the family recover and look towards a better future.
Kyrie Irving recently bought George Floyd's family a home, per Stephen Jackson. Jackson and Floyd were close friends.
Incredible gesture from Kyrie 👏
(via "The Rematch" Podcast) https://t.co/k6F2vcDjyn
#4 Kyrie Irving pays off tuition for nine students at HBCU Lincoln University
Kyrie has always said that he wants to be judged for his accomplishments both on and off the court, he is a champion on the court and proves to be one off the court too. He is a huge inspiration for the next generation and uses his platform and his charitable organization to promote various causes.
Education has been one of the key areas that Kyrie Irving has concentrated on. Kyrie, through a foundation dedicated to advocating for women and girls affected by past trauma, has donated school supplies for 25 Kenyan girls. He has also paid for the renovation of sports facilities at his alma mater, the Patrick School, while also donating 100 book bags with personal care to teens and young adults at the Newark’s Covenant House shelter.
Kyrie has been a beacon of change for the youth, helping them forge a bright future through education and sports. His contribution to HBCU's particularly stands out as Irving paid off the college tuition of nine students studying at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania through his KAI Foundation as part of their 11 days of giving celebrations every December.
Here’s the video of Kyrie Irving telling the nine students at the HBCU Lincoln University that he was paying for their tuition via the KAI Family Foundation: https://t.co/Ca3qssJvXA
Also Read: Who is Kyrie Irving’s Fiancée, Marlene Wilkerson?