The Muhammad Ali Center Athletes and Social Change Forum is an annual program that convenes athletes, scholars, practitioners, policymakers and advocates who are all working to advance the realm of sport and social change through the practice of Muhammad Ali’s Six Core Principles: Respect, Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Spirituality and Giving. The Muhammad Ali Center Athletes and Social Change Forum is organized in collaboration with Eli Wolff of the Power of Sport Lab, and Dr. Mary Hums of the University of Louisville.
The theme of the 2021 Forum will be "Collective Action and Amplifying the Political Power of Athletes and Sport."
The 2021 Forum seeks to give space and voice to collective action and the political power of athletes and sport. The Forum will focus on:
1. Engaging sport to further equality and inclusion
2. Using sport to promote justice and fight injustice
3. Mobilizing and organizing the political power of athletes and sport
The program aims to address a full spectrum of diverse groups when addressing sport and social change topics. Some of these include:
- voting rights
- criminal justice reform
- freedom of speech and protest
- racial and gender equality, disability inclusion, and LGBT rights
- rights of children and youth
The goal is to promote solidarity and allyship among and across these important areas of work.
