Ten years ago this week, 17-year-old Martin was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer, the same age as James' oldest child.
James' response to Martin's death was the start of a public commitment to social activism.
It is hard to speak for other people until you know who you are. Speak for anything. James said earlier this month that you have to be comfortable with yourself, when asked about the death of Martin. I think for me, when I was younger, I wasn't in that position to speak for this community.
James was playing his second season with the Miami Dolphins when 17-year-old Martin was killed in a gated community in Florida.
James and his teammates posed for a photo in a hotel ballroom with their team-issued Miami hoodies pulled over their heads in March of 2012 as Martin's death began to garner national attention. The image of the 13 players standing shoulder to shoulder was accompanied by a message of solidarity: #WeAreTrayvonMartin.
#WeAreTrayvonMartin #Hoodies #Stereotyped #WeWantJustice http://t.co/tH6baAVo
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 23, 2012
At the time, James had yet to win any of the four titles he had earned with the Lakers, Lakers, and Heat. James, who was drafted with the top pick out of high school and had his signature Nike sneakers flying off the shelves by 19, was still figuring out life in the spotlight.
James said he grew. As I grew to know who I am, to know what I want do with my life, to know the family that I have, now I understand that my calling is to be able to inspire others and also be able to give voices to people that don't have voices.
James said a confluence of factors -- his age, the proximity of Martin's death to Miami and the emerging ubiquity of smartphones and social media -- created the moment he stepped into.
He said that he was growing at the same time that the world was seeing these things that had always been happening, but because of some smart motherf---ers in tech, they were able to put these phones and cameras. I had a platform when I was growing up. It was just in sync.
James credits his teammates for their involvement in the photo.
James said that the Miami Heat were on top of the biggest throne in the sport. Everyone, myself, D- Wade, Chris, and coach. They talked about us all the time.
It's... We had the chance to make a statement. A lot of us had kids, so we had an opportunity to raise awareness to a situation that hit home for a lot of us. A lot of us had sons.
James, a father of three, said the Heat would be devastated if they were his parents.
We were sitting in Detroit, and we were wondering if sending your kid out and not coming back would be a bad idea. It struck us.
He said that they latched onto Martin's clothing because they could see their children dressed that way.
We traveled in our Miami Heat hoodies everywhere we went. We went everywhere. James said that it was like their uniform. We wore hoodies when we came down for our team meetings.
The intent was clear. If millionaire athletes who are cheered and admired by thousands wore hoodies on business trips, there was no reason for a teenager to wear the same thing.
James said that the moment of solidarity was for every Black kid in America and in the world who wears a hoodie.
You are not a criminal because you put a hood over your head. It is a uniform for us. That is what we do. That is what we wear. We do not have the luxury of wearing button-down shirts. We don't have enough money to get sweaters and things like that. Our uniforms are T-shirts, hoodies and shorts. Our uniform was when we were black in the inner city.
We were able to let the family of the man who was killed know that we are not for that type of behavior.
In July of 2013, he was acquitted of murder. The incident led to social justice in the United States. George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in May 2020, which prompted a national debate over how Black Americans are treated in the country.
"As I grew to know who I am, to know what I want do with my life, to know the family that I have, now I understand that my calling is to be able to inspire others and also be able to give voices to people that don't have voices." LeBron James
James has continued his activism, becoming well known for his voice on social issues as well as for his skill on the basketball court.
He said that it is never going to stop. We know the turmoil at the end of the day. They are going to look at Black people and see how they have always viewed them.
We cannot stop at the end of the day. We have to speak up for things that are unjust. We have to speak up about things we feel are wrong or right. It's time to call out people that are simply bad people.
James said racism is not something people are born with. He said that there is hope even if things seem bleak.
What will change for me is how guys in power respond.
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