John Cena Donates $1 Million to Black Lives Matter: 'Be Brave and Open-Minded'
WWE superstar John Cena is making an impact outside of the ring.
This week, the 43-year-old announced a $1 million donation in support of Black Lives Matter, the activist group that was founded in 2013 following the death of Trayvon Martin and has been at the forefront of nationwide protests following the May 25 death of George Floyd, the black man who was killed when a white police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.
Cena's contribution comes after the famous K-Pop band, BTS, submitted their own million-dollar donation that was then matched by members of their fanbase — known as BTS Army — as part of the viral #MatchedAMillion initiative.
"Very happy to join #BTSARMY in efforts to match BTS' tremendous donation #ARMYMatch1M," Cena wrote in a tweet on Monday.
"One of the many reasons I respect BTS ... thank you #BTS and BTSARMY," he added in a follow-up post.
The WWE did not immediately return PEOPLE's request for comment following Cena's donation.
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Change is never easy because it takes us admitting that our efforts and methods may be flawed to a point of severe distortion. Be brave and open minded in these moments. Welcome ideas and limit excuses. Change is uncomfortable but can yield much more joy for all in the long run.
— John Cena (@JohnCena) June 9, 2020
Without specifically naming the primary missions of the Black Likes Matter movement — such bringing an end to systemic racism and police brutality — Cena wrote about what he believes it will take to make significant societal changes moving forward.
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"Change is never easy because it takes us admitting that our efforts and methods may be flawed to a point of severe distortion," he tweeted on Tuesday. "Be brave and open-minded in these moments. Welcome ideas and limit excuses."
"Change is uncomfortable but can yield much more joy for all in the long run," Cena continued.
Rich Fury/Getty John Cena
Along with his monetary contribution, Cena — who appeared at WrestleMania 36 in April — may have made another large donation in recent weeks.
According to TMZ, fans believe Cena was behind an anonymous $40,000 GoFundMe donation to the family of former WWE superstar Shad Gaspard, who was found dead three days after he went missing in the ocean at Venice Beach last month. The donor's identification on the donation page read "CTC RIP."
"CTC" stands for Cryme Tyme Cenation, a tag team comprised of Cena, Gaspard and WWE superstar JTG back in 2008.
To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:
• Campaign Zero (joincampaignzero.org) which works to end police brutality in America through research-proven strategies.
• ColorofChange.org works to make government more responsive to racial disparities.
• National Cares Mentoring Movement (caresmentoring.org) provides social and academic support to help black youth succeed in college and beyond.
