Lloyd Pierce

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Young's passion and support for women’s sports didn’t begin when he entered the NBA in 2018. It started as the big brother of two little sisters and watching them play sports growing up (mainly volleyball, but basketball too).

“I’m a big fan of all the women athletes,” Young said. “Especially the WNBA, soccer, and every other sport.”

Lloyd Pierce’s vantage point is a little different being a father to a young daughter. Pierce shared that two-year-old Maya gets excited about anything activity-wise, so it’s a new found role for him. He said they recently had balloons delivered to their house and she calls them “gosh.” So just the excitement of playing “gosh” with balloons is what he looks forward to.

“I don’t care what sport she plays. She enjoys activity and it’s something that I’m learning from the other side of being around women, the game, sports and their involvement,” Pierce said.

One woman in sports that Pierce has gotten to know and admire within the Hawks organization is two-time WNBA champion Renee Montgomery. She joined the FOX Sports Southeast team as a studio analyst for Hawks LIVE! after forgoing the 2020 WNBA season to focus on fighting systemic racism and social injustice. Pierce believes Montgomery’s decision allowed her to use sports as a platform and a steppingstone to really find her purpose.

“I think for all of us sport brings you opportunity that you don’t know where it will lead you,” Pierce said. “The involvement with sport helps grow the character of people, myself included, and to see that happen for Renee this past summer and past year has been really remarkable to see.”

Montgomery is one of the many talented women the Hawks employ. Across the organization, women are impacting the business of basketball.

For more information on how to support women in sports for National Girl’s and Women in Sports Day, visit here.

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Trae Young, Lloyd Pierce Reflect on National Girls & Women in Sports Day

Author: Kevin L. Chouinard (@KLChouinard)

Once upon a time, Lloyd Pierce had to act as a stand-in for Rajon Rondo.

The situation for the 44-year-old Hawks head coach and his 34-year-old point guard might not be quite what you expected.

Back in 2010, Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach Mike Brown was trying to figure out a way to slow then-Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo in the Eastern Conference Semifinals following Rondo's first All-Star regular season. He wanted to field a Celtics-like scout team against whom his starters could practice. The biggest challenge was finding someone to play Rondo's part. Brown first tried another member of his staff before eventually turning the role over to Pierce, who served as a player development coach for the Cavs.

"Now, that's a lot more like Rajon Rondo," LeBron James said of Pierce's performance.

"The one thing that I was proud of in that practice – other than rolling my ankle and then having to hop on the airplane to go to Boston, because that didn't feel good in the air – was that I got a steal. One of the things that we were trying to emphasize was that when you get a defensive rebound be aware of where Rondo is because he's always poking around the bigs trying to get a steal. And I was able to get one in that practice with our players which was pretty cool."

Another task given to Pierce in that practice: apply 94 feet of full-court pressure to mimic Rondo in a season that saw Rajon lead the NBA in steals while earning a First-Team All-Defense berth for the first time. Pierce embraced that job, too.

In the end, Rondo and the Celtics proved to be too much for the Cavs. Boston adapted to Cleveland playing under every pick-and-roll by setting screens closer to the basket and freeing Rondo to do his thing in the paint. He averaged 20.7 points, 11.8 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals as Boston claimed the series in six games. 

Ten years later, a twist: Rondo now has to act as a stand-in for Lloyd Pierce.

The Hawks signed the four-time All-Star with the idea that he can be both their backup point guard and their veteran coach on the floor. Along the way, they want him to tutor Trae Young on the finer nuances of leadership, anticipation, defense and game management in a way that propels Trae, already an All-Star starter in his own right, to his best personal version of floor generalship.

"Rajon has played (Trae's) position in this league and has won two championships doing it," Pierce said. "Playing alongside and studying alongside a guy like Rajon is the necessary growth and the necessary mentorship that we can provide for Trae. It's part of the reason why Rajon is here."

Trae, who averaged an eye-popping 29.6 points and 9.3 assists in his second NBA campaign, is on board with the plan.

"He's won, obviously, two championships. I want to win championships," he said. "How do you get there? How do you do so well in the regular season where you put yourself in a good spot in the playoffs that can ultimately lead you into a championship? I know there are steps that you have to take, and Rondo has obviously done all of the steps to win a championship and be a point guard in this league at a high level. For me, it's all about learning because I don't have the answers yet."

Rondo says that he is more than happy to point the way, even as he quipped that he is slowly coming to grips with the fact that for the first time in his career, he's not only a leader, but also the oldest player on the roster. 

"I've had so many great veterans in my career that have helped me become the player that I am today," Rondo said of players like Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, LeBron and Dirk Nowitzki. "It's only right for me to give it back full circle."

The acquisition of Rondo, a three-time NBA assist leader, could also help lead to more off-ball situations for Trae as he explores a part of his game that was overwhelmingly positive in 2019-20. (In 105 possessions last season, the Hawks averaged a bonkers 1.33 points per possession when Trae got a spot-up opportunity.) Newcomer Bogdan Bogdanovic could also figure in here as a part-time offensive initiator. President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk said that he wants to use the tactic to get Trae some easier shots away from the teeth of opposing defenses.

"When you have the ball, there are five sets of eyes on you, right?" Schlenk said. "When you don't have the ball, you might have one set of eyes on you but chances are that that guy is looking at the ball, too."

Rondo, fresh off a championship run that saw him average 6.6 assists in just 24.7 minutes per game, looks to be up to the task. 

For the Hawks to make the most of Rondo joining the roster, they need to make some of their own playoff history. Part of that calculus is that the playoffs are the expected payoff when a team invests in a number of quality player acquisitions in the same offseason. But the other part is that Rondo is the ultra-rare player who has played significantly better in the postseason than the regular season. To see the best version of Rondo, the Hawks will need bright lights and big stages.

Rondo sees opportunity in the Hawks' roster and current situation. 

"Trae Young, John (Collins), Kevin Huerter, the young guys have an extreme amount of upside," he said. "To me, honestly, I didn't think the East was very tough this year as far as the talent. I think it was kind of up for grabs as far as which team would prevail to the top. As you've seen, anything can happen in the playoffs."

Before the Hawks can talk about what they might do in the playoffs, they will need to tally up a significant number of wins (in a 72-game season) over the course of the next five months. In the meantime, Rondo is relying on a Hawks legend to help him get acclimated to the city of Atlanta.

"My brother, Josh Smith, lives here," Rondo said. "We were roommates at Oak Hill many, many moons ago. We have so many ties. I've actually probably been over his house every night for the last couple of nights as I'm looking for a place to stay still."

If Rondo fits the way that the team hopes, he'll earn a home in the heart of every Hawks fan.

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Rajon Rondo Sees Opportunity in Hawks' Current Roster

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ATLANTA -– On the anniversary of what would have been Reverend Joseph E. Lowery’s 99th birthday, the Joseph &amp; Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice &amp; Human Rights announced that they have named Lloyd Pierce, head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, to its Board of Directors. Additionally, to honor the life and legacy of Rev. Lowery, the Institute launched a week-long campaign encouraging all registered voters, with a focus on those in Black or underserved communities, to cast their ballot in this year’s general election. Early voting in Georgia runs from Oct. 12th through Oct. 30th with Election Day 2020 on November 3rd.

Established in Oct. 2001 and located inside the Thomas Cole Building on the Campus of Clark Atlanta University (CAU) , the Joseph &amp; Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice &amp; Human Rights is dedicated to training, developing, empowering, and inspiring leaders to improve their communities for the common good. It serves this mission by focusing on: civil and human rights; social justice; education; and community health locally, nationally, and abroad.

Pierce has served as a judge for the Lowery Institute’s annual “Change Agent Tank,” a competition that encourages local college students to become social entrepreneurs by combining their passion with social justice interests to create transformational initiatives and movements. Based on the popular show Shark Tank, submissions are narrowed to five students to present their ideas to corporate businesses, local leaders and celebrities for the opportunity to receive cash funding and awards.

Named head coach of the Hawks on May 11, 2018, Pierce is widely regarded as one of the top young coaches in the NBA. In April 2019, Pierce was selected to the USA Basketball Men’s National Team coaching staff. This summer, he established himself as one of the leading voices in professional sports, advocating for racial justice, education and positive societal changes. 

Pierce is the inaugural chairman of the Coaches for Racial Justice, an initiative within the National Basketball Coaches Association that focuses on truth-telling and education, raising awareness of and teaching the history of racial injustice, impacting non-partisan policy reform, and working with local grassroots organizations to create change in every NBA market.

“Lloyd exudes boundless positive energy and incredible aptitude for mobilizing his peers to address societal issues – a remarkable skill we strive to nurture and glean within the Lowery Institute’s Change Agents. Through his work with our Change Agent Tank, it was immediately evident that his passion to mentor and nurture young people went beyond the basketball court,” said Cheryl Lowery, CEO &amp; President, Lowery Institute. “We are proud and excited that he will serve alongside us to continue to create Scholar activists who are not afraid to speak truth to power- nor to turn words into deeds.” 

“Meeting Rev. Lowery has been one of the highlights of my time in Atlanta and getting to know Cheryl, his family and the great work they are doing has been inspirational. It’s truly an honor to join the Board and take an active role in cultivating the next generation of leaders to take up the mantle and ensure social justice for all,” Pierce said.

Current active projects by The Joseph &amp; Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice &amp; Human Rights include:

To support Dr. Joseph and Dr. Evelyn Lowery’s legacy of service and nonviolent advocacy, interested parties can learn more here and donate via this link. 

ABOUT THE JOSEPH &amp; EVELYN LOWERY INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE &amp; HUMAN RIGHTS:

The Lowery Institute's mission is to provide a platform for citizens of every walk of life to learn the important nonviolent advocacy principles. Central to this mission is a push to provide future leaders and “Change Agents” with opportunities to explore the moral, ethical, and theological imperatives for justice and human rights for all people. Our pillars are: Social Justice, Education, Civil &amp; Human Rights, and Community Health.

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Lowery Institute Adds Atlanta Hawks Head Coach Lloyd Pierce to Board of Directors

As the Atlanta Hawks convened as a team for the first time since March, head coach Lloyd Pierce kept a healthy dose of perspective for the amount of basketball work that the team could achieve in a two-week window after a six-month pause.

"There are a lot of things that we have to address," Pierce said. "We're not addressing all of those things in two weeks."

Pierce added that his three areas of focus for mini-camp were competition, commitment, and care. 

"We want to compete," Pierce said. "I don't care what we do. I don't care if it's one-on-one. I don't care if it's a shooting competition, but just get in that competitive spirit."

President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk added three more C's to the alliterative mix: camaraderie and Clint Capela.

"I think the biggest thing that we want to accomplish out of this is to get our group together and build some more camaraderie," Schlenk said. "This is the first time that Clint is going to have the opportunity to play with that group. That's going to be big for us. But it's also the first time for our young guys that they've been able to play since March."

The NBA put its 2019-20 season on hold in March due to concerns surrounding COVID-19 and the health and safety of its players, employees and fans. When the regular season resumed in a campus setting in Orlando, the format for finishing the compressed season included 22 teams. Since then, the NBA and National Basketball Players' Association came to an agreement that would let the remaining eight teams hold two weeks of voluntary group workouts in a campus-like environment under controlled conditions. 

For the Hawks, those conditions mean quarantining together at a local hotel and commuting by bus to the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. Schlenk admitted that, for a young team like the Hawks, 11 regular-season games in Orlando would have held more experiential value than two weeks of group workouts. 

"There's not going to be a ton that we're going to be able to accomplish from an X's and O's standpoint," he said. "But we can build that camaraderie by having our guys hang out here in the hotel. The staff did a great job putting this hotel together for us. We've got a lot of areas where guys can socialize while socially distanced. I'm really happy with how the hotel turned out."

Pierce noted the importance of having some team bonding time away from the court with Capela. Trae Young, who finished the season ranked second in assists per game (9.3), also sounded quite happy to have another elite pass receiver on the hardwood.

"I threw him a pass today that I did not think he was going to catch. He caught it on his back hip and finished the layup. He's so good with his hands. I can give him a bounce pass or an in-the-air pass, and he'll go get it wherever."

The Hawks acquired the 6-foot-10 center via trade on Feb. 5, but he did not play in a game due to a right calcaneus contusion and plantar fasciitis.

"He has been playing really well and talking," Young added. "You can tell the veteran leadership that he has just from being around guys like (James Harden and Chris Paul). He's so communicative on the defensive end."

In the first few days of camp, Pierce said that he saw in Capela much of the subtle skill that a head coach prizes from the center position, including boxing out. 

"It speaks for itself that he has been able to hold the paint down (in Houston) without a John Collins next to him. It excites me to have a Clint Capela next to me."

Collins, who averaged 10.1 rebounds per game in the 2019-20 regular season, said that he had never played with a teammate who could match him board-for-board on the glass until now.

"He's long, he's athletic, he protects the rim, he has great hands, he finishes what he's supposed to finish, and he's a great teammate. You can't help but not bring that guy along. I'm definitely very confident that he's going to come in and help us out a lot."

Capela now becomes the oldest and most experienced member of a young Hawks core that also includes Young, Collins, Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter and De'Andre Hunter. The 26-year-old has played in 61 playoff games in his six-year career. If things go well, he will help the rest of that core get to their first sooner rather than later.

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Hawks Focus on Competition, Commitment, Care During Mini-Camp

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ATLANTA – Today, Lloyd and Melissa Pierce pledged a significant financial contribution to the Georgia Innocence Project (GIP), an independent nonprofit organization that works to correct and prevent wrongful convictions in Georgia, on Friday, Oct. 2 which marks Wrongful Conviction Day – the annual international observance dedicated to ending wrongful convictions and highlighting the plight of those convicted of crimes they did not commit. The Pierce family has committed to matching up to $15,000 of financial contributions that are donated in recognition of Wrongful Conviction Day. 

Based on recent studies, it is estimated that approximately five percent of all people in prison are innocent of the crimes they are imprisoned for. For the state of Georgia, that means more than 2,000 people are currently in prison for crimes they did not commit.

“With the current climate in our country, we felt compelled to grow our partnership with GIP. In the midst of this pandemic, the need to intelligently pursue criminal justice reform and address mass incarceration issues is urgent,” Lloyd and Melissa Pierce jointly said. “The incredible level of passion, expertise and dedication to serving those wrongfully convicted independent of their personal resources and intense pursuit of justice for all makes us proud to play any role we can in bringing awareness to their work.”

Along with the Pierce family, the Atlanta Hawks created a special co-branded apparel bundle with GIP in 2019. The popular $35 bundle, which includes a t-shirt, hat and band, has been re-released and is available for purchase online at HawksShop.com with 100 percent of proceeds going directly to support the GIP until Monday, Oct. 5.

The Pierce family hosted exonerees and their family members at multiple Hawks game last season, providing exclusive access to warmups, media availabilities and locker room tours while educating fans in attendance about GIP and the exonerees. Lloyd Pierce has also served as a keynote speaker at the national Innocence Network convention.

Pierce will also appear alongside Jimmie C. Gardner, a GIP board member who was wrongfully convicted for 27 years, and Melissa Redmon, the Director of UGA School of Law's Prosecutorial Justice Program, this Friday at 4 p.m. ET during the first-ever Wrongful Conviction Day livestream this Friday for "Race &amp; Wrongful Conviction: Moving from Outrage to Action," a conversation about the intersection of wrongful conviction and the Movement for Black Lives. 

“We are so grateful to the Pierce family for this generous gift, especially ahead of Wrongful Conviction Day,” said Georgia Innocence Project Executive Director Clare Gilbert. “In this critical moment of reckoning and reform–as COVID-19 ravages Georgia’s prisons–the work is more pressing than ever, and the continued partnership of Coach Pierce and the Atlanta Hawks significantly increases awareness and helps drive change around wrongful convictions in Georgia.”

Georgia Innocence Project provides free legal representation to people in Georgia who have been convicted of serious crimes that they did not commit. GIP also works to prevent future wrongful convictions by raising awareness through education and by advocating for policy and legislative reform.

To learn more about the Georgia Innocence Project and Wrongful Conviction Day, please visit georgiainnocenceproject.org.

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Pierce Family to match up to $15k in donations to Georgia Innocence Project  in honor of Wrongful Conviction Day

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Hawks Mini-Camp Day 4 Photos: Presented by Michelob Ultra

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Hawks Mini-Camp Day 2 Photos: Presented by Michelob Ultra

Nearly four months ago, a single tweet with just six words sent the sports world into a frenzy. When ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted “The NBA has suspended the season,” it didn’t seem real. Feelings of shock, confusion, sadness and utter disbelief were felt throughout State Farm Arena by players, fans and the media that night. How could the NBA be suspended?

But as the weeks and months went by, it became a reality that everyone had to accept. COVID-19 forced everyone across the world to quarantine in their homes and it wasn’t just going to go away in a few weeks. Players often reminisced on the season by posting game photos and highlights to social media expressing how much they missed it. Basketball was on hold, but it was still so present in players and fans’ minds.

It wasn’t until a Black man’s murder was captured on video that basketball wasn’t the most talked about subject in the sports world. For the first time since March 11, the conversation of when the season would return was no longer important.

His name was George Floyd. The video of a police officer with his knee on Floyd’s neck lasted a grueling eight minutes and forty-six seconds. It spread like wildfire on social media and the news.

This wasn’t new, though. Floyd’s name just became the latest Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown. Another Black man losing his life at the hands of the police-- all while being captured on video. 

But this time was different. There were no sports to distract us. There were no concerts. There was nothing but this pandemic confining us to our homes. So people didn’t really have a choice. You had to see the video, you had to hear him crying out for his mom. You had to read the headlines that said “I can’t breathe” were his last words. No basketball game was going to save people from seeing the pain Black people have endured for hundreds of years.

In the past, every time there has been a new hashtag with another Black person’s name, there’s outrage, but only for a certain amount of time. People eventually go back to their lives, their jobs, and back to sporting events or concerts until the next hashtag surfaces. It’s an exhausting cycle with little to no change, but with Floyd’s death, people demanded change.

Protests have been going strong for thirty-plus days and counting. People are angry, tired and millions are without jobs. When you have an astronomical number of people who are jobless and fed up with police brutality and systemic racism, it’s a recipe for the streets across the world to constantly be flooded with protestors who want their voices heard. Protestors who are seeking justice for not only Floyd, but Breonna Taylor, Ahmuad Arbery, Rayshard Brooks and the countless other Black lives that have been lost.

From the moment Head Coach Lloyd Pierce arrived in Atlanta, he’s been vocal about educating and exposing his players to Atlanta’s rich civil rights history. Most recently in January, Pierce took the team on a field trip to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park exploring Dr. King’s childhood home, Ebenezer Baptist Church and the museum at the King Center.

Hawks players went from playing in a historically Black city at the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement to marching together on those same streets on June 14. A city where the Southern Christian Leadership Conference was formed, which fought for African Americans’ civil rights and combatted segregation.

It was only 55 years ago that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the 54-mile march from Montgomery to Selma to protest the killing of civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson. The only difference between the Selma to Montgomery March and the march that Hawks players participated in, is the year that it happened. The cry is the same.

Since Floyd’s death, Hawks players have spoken out and made their stance clear on the racial injustices happening around the country. With a league that’s nearly 80 percent Black, Floyd’s death is something that wasn’t going to be ignored.

Q: What are your thoughts on what's going on right now in the world?

I think the protests are the right way to go. It has been so long, and African Americans have had to deal with social injustice and the inequalities of the system for so long. We try to do it peacefully, and at times we tried to do it violently…and nothing. There has been no significant outcome or no significant betterment of the system for us.

Me personally, I didn't agree with the rioting and the looting and things like that, but people have to express their emotions. When people get talked about or the right outcome doesn't come from doing it positively and peacefully, then you have to resort to something else.

I feel like as a community, African Americans just want to be heard. They just want their voice heard and their communities heard. Just being able to do that, and possibly, but who knows if it will change anything?

Just being able to voice our opinions and voice the inequalities that we have had to face for so long. I just felt like we were tired of it. The events that have happened have increased it. It doesn’t seem like it is going to stop anytime soon.

So, the protests, I hope they keep going. I hope people go and vote. I just hope we keep making these steps and hopefully then that will lead to change.

Growing up as a young Black man, you know most stereotypes of “Black people are afraid of cops,” but growing up as a kid I felt like I always looked up to the police. Because on a military base, they’re given an extra level of power and security.

Military police, I feel like are one in a sense. So I always looked at them in a different light. As my mother retired and we moved and I also got older and became a young Black man, I started to experience some different things which changed my perspectives on both sides of what people are saying.

I completely agree with the protests. You have to stand up for yourself at some point. I feel like we’ve been making our voices heard. For as long as American history has been written, Black people have always been oppressed and always been trying to speak out for their voice.  So I’m always for Black empowerment and I’m definitely with them.

For me, this is a very important time. Not only for me, but in this world and what’s going on right now it’s a crazy time. I thought it was important for me to go out (protest) and show my face. I think it’s a responsibility for me to speak up especially through a time like this.

I just felt it was a big day for me to do that (protest). And talking about my sister, she’s heavily involved in everything going on. She’s very educated on what’s going on and everything. I was just proud to be her big brother and see her be vocal about how she really feels.

It’s a crazy world we live in. It’s been a scary past couple of weeks. We’ve all had a chance to talk to coach and with each other through the Zoom calls. Coach calls all the time and checks on us to make sure everybody is ok. (He) makes sure everyone’s doing alright, getting through this tough time, telling us we’re all in this together. (He’s) trying to make sure everyone knows it’s going to be ok. It’s just kind of a crazy situation.

Q: You tweeted an article with an interview you did and talked about experiencing racism as a teenager. How were you able to deal with that?

I definitely went through real racism over there (Europe) growing up. What’s been happening in the U.S. with George Floyd really had so much power that even in my country (Switzerland), it impacted a lot of people. And it allowed me to have a voice about it over there and I think that was a huge thing. That’s been a subject that’s never been easy to talk about over there.

Q: Is white privilege something you’ve always known about or is this something you’re just now acknowledging?

I have acknowledged it. It’s something that I studied in college. (I) took an African American studies class at Maryland. To be honest, sports has been very beneficial for me just because some of my best friends have been Black since I’ve been six, seven years old playing AAU. I felt that not always feeling the same as them, but never seeing a color barrier.

The same problems keep happening. This isn’t the first time people have protested in the last ten years and something like this has happened. So it’s not the first time I’ve realized this. But it was great for me to get out there for the first time and truly show my support. And I think this time around…hopefully a lot of things will change. And that’s why we’re there, is to make a lot of changes. Hopefully we don’t have to keep doing this much longer.

Q: What was it like for you to watch Trae take the initiative to participate in protests and use his platform?

It’s growth. Its something we’re seeing firsthand. This is something that he did in his hometown with his sister. And it’s just him expressing what he felt and felt like he had an opportunity to connect people in his city about what’s going on in our world. As a very young man, I think that was extremely impressive to see him get outside his comfort zone and to do something he’s not used to doing. We talked about that and it was good for him.

Q: Growing up as a Black man, did your parents have a conversation with you about racism and the police?

I’ve known about it for a long time. My parents have educated me about stuff like this since I was really, really young. I’ve been in situations…I’ve experienced stuff like that. My parents did a good job of educating me when I was a kid.

Q: Why do u think athletes aren’t just sticking to sports and speaking out?

I know I’m not just a basketball player. I’m a role model, I’m bigger than what I just do and play basketball. I know when it’s times like this I need to speak up and speak up for what’s right.

Q: What was your experience like at the protest? What motivated you to go?

It was great. You know, really eye opening for me. That was honestly the first time I've ever been to anything like that. And I guess that also speaks to a lot of the white privilege that I have. And really our message, just as the Hawks is we wanted to show we’re united with this and we're there for the city.

We're going to try to work with other sports teams and try to have a united stance. And just know that nationally the message has always been “this is going to take everybody, not just the Black community.” And so that was kind of our message. My message is being there for everybody…showing my support.

Q: You made a post on Instagram that said Black Lives Matter. Is it difficult for you as an athlete in the spotlight to know what to say that won’t be controversial? How do you come to that decision?

It’s definitely something that’s been on my mind and hard to put in words. It wasn’t something I just wrote out. It’s something I started typing and retyping a bunch of times just because I wanted to make sure my message and what I said was clear and authentic and meant true. So when I put that out there, it could ring home. Because I feel like at times, there’s a lot of public figures, whether intentional or unintentional, (that) misuse their platforms. So I felt it was wise of me to say something that meant something.