Coaching staff and players on the women's basketball team at the University of Tennessee at Martin peacefully protested in downtown Martin, Tennessee, on Friday, August 28, 2020.
The protest was organized to stand up against the police shootings across the country. Jacob Blake is the latest victim to be injured in the process.
Assistant coach Kelsey Johnson is very passionate about standing up and making sure her voice and the voices of her players is heard.
"Friday night when I protested, I did that because I wanted to show my players that I see them as people first, and not just basketball players. It does not have to happen to you to be relevant to you, and that is the message that we wanted to send," Johnson said.
The team and coaching staff wore white t-shirts with the letters spelling out Jacob Blake's name on them to show their support and to spread their message.
Senior Guard Zaire Hicks believes it is very import that the system hears their voices and makes a change.
"My brothers' and sisters' and maybe even my life depends on it," Hicks said.
To find more protest information, check out Black Lives Matter of Martin, Tennessee, on Facebook.