Coach Joins LeBron James in Battle Against Voter Suppression
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Coach is teaming up with LeBron James to help get out the vote.
The luxury fashion brand announced today that it has entered into a partnership with the NBA star’s More Than A Vote organization aimed at combating voter suppression in the Black community.
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“The foundation of democracy is the right to vote,” said Jide Zeitlin, chairman and CEO of Coach’s parent company, Tapestry. “America cannot resolve systemic racism and inequality without ending voter suppression. We are proud to partner with More Than A Vote and to work toward equal access to the ballot box for every single eligible American.”
Launched early this month, the nonprofit — supported by a collective of Black athletes and artists including Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes, former US Open champion Sloane Stephens and ex-New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia — is focused not only on protecting voting rights, but also on improving public safety and expanding education opportunities for young Black and Latinx individuals.
“We’re incredibly grateful to have Coach’s voice from day one,” said More Than A Vote executive director Addisu Demissie. “Their generosity will pay dividends in our efforts to combat systematic attempts to limit access to the ballot box and strip Black citizens and other people of color of their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote.”
The partnership marks Coach’s latest effort to address racial inequality, which has recently received heightened national attention following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, at the hands of a white police officer last month. In early June, the accessories brand said that it was in the process of partnering with a number of social justice, legal and corporate entities to “formulate a longer-term plan” centered on promoting equality and inclusion.
Separately, James took to Instagram today — the day of primary elections in New York and Kentucky — to bring more attention to More Than A Vote, which has also joined forces with former First Lady Michelle Obama’s national nonpartisan When We All Vote nonprofit, among other organizations.
“To my brothers and sisters in sports and arts,” he wrote in the post, “we have incredible influence in our community. We need to use this moment to demand change… The easiest way to keep us from changing anything is to keep us from voting.”
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