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Brittney Griner's detention in Russia, and the enduring legacy of sports activism

Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, pictured at a game in 2021. Russian state media reports she will remain in custody until May 19.
Mike Mattina
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Getty Images
Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, pictured at a game in 2021. Russian state media reports she will remain in custody until May 19.

From Jesse Owens to Colin Kaepernick, some of the most iconic moments in sports history have been political. But some fans says there’s no place for political activism in athletics.

This hour on Disrupted, we revisit a conversation about sports activism and how it can be a platform for change. Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson talks about why she uses her voice to demand justice. Plus, the latest on the WNBA’s Brittney Griner and her detention in Russia.

GUESTS:

  • Tamryn Spruill: Sports Journalist and author of forthcoming book Court Queens: The Story of the WNBA's Power, Passion and Perseverance On and Off the Court
  • Amira Rose Davis: Assistant Professor of History and African-American Studies at Penn State University and author of forthcoming book Can’t Eat a Medal: Black Women Athletes Under Jim Crow.
  • A’ja Wilson: Las Vegas Aces forward, Olympic gold medalist and 3-time WNBA All-Star

This episode was originally produced by Daniela Luna and Catie Talarski. The rest of our team includes James Szkobel-Wolff and Zshekinah Collier. Our interns are Michayla Savitt and Sara Gasparotto.

Our show is also available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Portions of this episode originally aired on December 9th, 2020.

James Szkobel-Wolff is a producer for the Connecticut Public Radio’s weekly show 'Disrupted,' hosted by Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean.
Zshekinah Collier is a producer for Connecticut Public Radio’s weekly show 'Disrupted.' Previously she was a Radio Production & Storytelling Intern and contributed to 'Audacious,' 'The Colin McEnroe Show,' 'Seasoned,' and 'Where We Live.'
Dr. Khalilah L. Brown-Dean is an award-winning scholar at Quinnipiac University, author, and host of 'Disrupted' on Connecticut Public.
Catie Talarski is Senior Director of Storytelling and Radio Programming at Connecticut Public.
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