When "We Are NC" Goes Wrong

I try to avoid most of the political, controversial stuff here on Confessions of a Sportscaster. But this transcends politics and, while controversial, is something I feel like needs to be said.

I've touched on the anthem protests once before, and I've written some criticisms about a rival institution. The latter one raised an important point for me: you can't bring up the speck in your brother's eye without first removing the plank from your own eye. So today, I attempt to remove said plank.

And to do so, I need to refer back to the former post above. What I neglected to bring up back in May of 2018 was the plight of Mynk Richardson-Clerk. Richardson-Clerk is a 2020 graduate of North Central College and, in 2017 and 2018, a member of North Central's women's lacrosse team. So why, if she was a 2020 graduate, did she forgo those last two years of eligibility? Was it a loss of passion for the sport? Lack of playing time, or replacement by other players? According to Richardson-Clerk, it was a pattern of despicable behavior by teammates, coaches, and administration.

View this post on Instagram

I had to redo this video several times because it is heavy having to relive and talk about these experiences, especially during these current times. This is not just for my campus but for campuses everywhere. Do better for the Black community. #BLM#Protest#Lacrosse#NCC#NorthCentralCollege

A post shared by Mynkachu♥ (@mynkersrc) on Jun 1, 2020 at 5:57pm PDT

Photo by Noah Cordoba (NCCLinked)

I watched this video Tuesday night, and it made me sick. I remember having read about Richardson-Clerk's protests back in 2018, but little did I know about the allegations she made against teammates, coaches, and athletic administration as a result of her exercise of First Amendment rights that season.

Why is this coming up again now? Because on Monday, a peaceful protest was held in downtown Naperville, followed later that night by bad actors rioting and looting, doing some damage to the downtown. Also on Monday, North Central president Troy Hammond sent an email to the campus community mirroring many of the statements we've seen by corporations and sports franchises in the past week or so. In the wake of that, the above Instagram post was made, and subsequently a Change.org petition was started to demand attention and a response from the college.

I signed the petition Tuesday afternoon having read it, but not having watched the video until later in the evening. While some might question the accusations, the fact that one of Richardson-Clerk's former teammates signed the petition, saying that she saw what her actions did and regrets them, corroborates the claims of gaslighting and antagonism.

I can't stay quiet about this. I love my alma mater, and I remember telling friends around when I graduated way back in 2011 that if I had it all to do over again, I'd pick North Central every time. But based on this story, and the stories of others that have come out alongside Mynk Richardson-Clerk's, the feeling probably isn't unanimous among the alumni base, especially for black alumni. The fact that the college didn't address the problem then is a major problem. The fact that it continues to ignore it now, only paying lip service to the idea of being against racism and refusing to address the accusations and petition directly, is worse.

I don't know if anyone in the administration at North Central will end up reading this, but I need to say it. Black Lives Matter. I've said it... it's not that hard for you to say it, too. Address Mynk Richardson-Clerk's experiences, and the experiences of other black students and alumni. Listen to the calls by other students and alumni who aren't black, but agree that Black Lives Matter, reach out to Mynk Richardson-Clerk, and make this right.

Be the school we love. Do better, NCC. Be better.