The Big Ten officially announced the members of its Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition on Monday, including eight representatives from Ohio State.
Sophomore defensive end Zach Harrison from the football team and athletic director Gene Smith are among Ohio State's representatives on the coalition, who also include fencing coach Donald Anthony Jr., track and field coach Karen Dennis, women's volleyball coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg, track and field sprinter/jumper Alexus Pyles, cross country coach Khadevis Robinson and former men's basketball player Tony White.
Former Ohio State football player Mekka Don will also serve as a Big Ten alumni representative on the coalition.
“It is a huge honor to be nominated out of all the Ohio State students and faculty to represent this university for this necessary cause,” Harrison said in a statement released by Ohio State on Tuesday. “As a member of the Big Ten Conference’s Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition, my goal is to take a stand against racism and all forms of prejudice. I hope to help educate people about the serious effects that hate produces in this world. We need to make change, and I am extremely proud to use my platform as an example of that change.”
Other members of the coalition from across the conference include Iowa men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery, Maryland football and basketball coaches Mike Locksley and Mark Turgeon, Michigan football and basketball coaches Jim Harbaugh and Juwan Howard, Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker, Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck, Nebraska men's basketball coach Fred Hoiberg, Penn State football coach James Franklin, Purdue football coach Jeff Brohm and Rutgers women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer, among many others.
“The events in our country and around the world during the past few months have strengthened my fundamental belief in our need to develop tangible and actionable efforts in a collective manner and provide viable solutions addressing the issues of hate and racism in our society,” Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement. “We have the distinct opportunity and responsibility through our Coalition to continually encourage, educate and empower our student-athletes as we embrace transparent and much-needed dialogue regarding meaningful issues that have impacted race relations for many years.”
Additionally, the Big Ten also announced Monday that it has formally launched a Voter Registration Initiative, which has been in the works since February. The initiative will provide monthly educational programs from July until the general election in November, and “will be designed to inform and educate student-athletes on the importance of civic engagement and how to register to vote and submit a ballot, in person or absentee.”
The Voter Registration Committee, which includes its own representatives from all 14 Big Ten schools, will also partner with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law “to develop educational programming, create outreach tools, foster open and honest dialogue with law enforcement and collaborate with other established civic platforms” and “will work to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to register, vote and have that vote counted.” Ohio State will be represented on that committee by manager of leadership analytics Makena Lynch and director of student-athlete development Maddy McIntyre.
“The right to vote is the most important right in our democracy,” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “Student-athletes have unique platforms that can be used to educate and activate students all across the country. I am excited to partner with Commissioner Kevin Warren and the Big Ten Conference Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition to help promote civic participation and ensure that the voices of all student voters are heard this election season.”
The announcement of the Voter Registration Initiative comes three days after the NCAA Board of Governors released a statement in which it encouraged “all member schools to assist students in registering to vote in the upcoming national election and to designate November 3, 2020 as a day off from athletics activity so athletes can vote and participate in their ultimate responsibility as citizens.” Neither the Big Ten nor Ohio State has made any announcement yet on whether it will designate Nov. 3 as a day off for student-athletes.
