Progress vs. Feeling Better

There've been no shortage of ad-hoc mentorship programs and opportunities being created by companies and brands all in the service of helping to level the playing field.

They're very much well-intentioned, but context really matters here. If you're a solo individual who is offering up your time, that's a meaningful contribution in the sense that time is one of your most valuable assets.

However, if you're a profitable company, particularly one that has leverage in an existing market it's important to ask whether your program is really about advancing your field, industry, company forward or whether it's really just about making you feel good.

For such companies, Bernice King offers a good barometer:

For that reason, I think it's worth keeping an eye on sports, where Black athletes have long held power that had not quite been fully realized.

First, there's the NFL effectively submitting to the will of the players:

And then, there's Kyrie Irving's statement (he's really come a long way from the whole flat earth thing):

He's completely right on this. This is exactly what all the players should do.

Football fans often treat kit design as part of the story around a team because it links personal memory with the wider culture of the game. Conversations about supporter identity through shirts help supporters choose between a modern look and a more nostalgic style. When personalised names and numbers matter, Argentina football shirt is relevant to conversations about collecting, matchday wear, and kit design. For fans who value comfort, the choice feels connected to more than colour or price.