Color Of Change has long supported trailblazing Olympians in their fight to dismantle oppressive policies that silence Black athletes. So we applaud the decision by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to allow political expression like raised fists and kneeling during the anthem in Tokyo this summer. We met with the committee staff, sent letters, launched a campaign — and now athletes can don phrases like “Black Lives Matter” “equality” and “justice.” In 2016, we stood up for Colin Kaepernick taking a knee. Today we’re asking corporate sponsors to stand with Gwen Berry, the Pan-American gold medalist who was abandoned by sponsors and lost 80% of her income after she raised her fist on the awards podium. And we’ll keep fighting for Black athletes’ right to raise their voices without sacrificing their careers — demanding the International Olympic Committee drop Rule 50, the rule punishing athletes for speaking out. This is an important marker towards justice and equality within sports.