Sports legends such as Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, and Jackie Robinson used their platform to express political beliefs and represent themselves beyond an athletic identity. Nigel Hayes at the University of Wisconsin and the Virginia Tech volleyball team both participated in silent protest as student-athletes. Professional athletes such as LeBron James and Muhammad Ali have and had a much bigger influence and platform when engaging in activism as athletes than student-athletes currently hold. However, their engagement with activism is still important and can influence change.

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