Royce White has never shied away from fighting for what he believes in, and now he’s walking more than 1,000 miles for those convictions.
The former first-round draft pick in the NBA, who also spent time with the London Lightning, has been very vocal over the last few months in the push for racial equality. White has been on the front lines of the Black Lives Matter movement in the U.S.A., and will now embark on a nearly month-long journey to America’s capital to further his message.
“We have to continue to raise the bar for leadership in this country and around the world,” said White, who is hoping to cap off his nearly 1,100-mile journey with a meeting with President Donald Trump.
If he’s unable to get that meeting with the president after his lengthy journey, and his direct involvement with the BLM movement, he says it speaks volumes to the state of the union.
“I’m hopeful that logical minds will prevail and I will be able to have that audience after making that long, strenuous journey, but at the end of the day if that doesn’t happen, it is still going to be a very, very fruitful journey for myself and the message will still be delivered,” said White.
“Either way, the mission will be fulfilled.”
The 25-day journey will begin in Chicago and end at the White House in Washington, D.C.
“It is to deliver a message to the president of the United States, and it is one about the reformation of Black America, and what I believe, and others believe, that Black America needs to look like going forward.”
White says we are in one of the most important moments in the country’s history.
“My time here in the epicentre of this movement has been fruitful and given me perspective,” he said
“Before any return to athletic competition, I feel it’s necessary to further expand the scope of my personal contribution and sacrifice toward the issues facing Black America.”
White made headlines both on and off the court during his time with the London Lightning, as he frequently challenged the National Basketball League of Canada. He was suspended a handful of times with the Lightning, which included multiple confrontations with the league’s deputy commissioner Audley Stephenson.
White was drafted 16th overall in the 2012 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets, but he never played a game for the organization. He eventually found some playing time in the NBA as a member of the Sacramento Kings in 2014.