‘ANW Jr.’s Akbar Gbaja-Biamila Says ‘Education’ Is Mandatory To End Racism In The US
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Ahead of the the ‘American Ninja Warrior Junior’ season finale, host Akbar Gbaja-Biamila spoke to HL about the ongoing protests & racial injustice in America.
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila is a fan-favorite for many kids and adults as a host of American Ninja Warrior and American Ninja Warrior Junior. As such, he spoke to HollywoodLife.com in an EXCLUSIVE interview about the ramped racism in the United States amidst the ongoing protests across the country. “Hopefully this is an awakening that changes life. It definitely has for me and for every African and African American in America,” Akbar said. “I think it’s confronting America’s educational system, which, I think is probably been one of the biggest reasons African Americans have been portrayed and been seen in the light that we have been — as a threat.”
He continued, “They integrated the physical bodies of blacks and whites in schools, but the one thing they didn’t do was integrate the curriculum and content. And the truth is that there’s way more than Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Harriet Tubman, but if we’re not represented in the curriculum, then we’re really just bringing up a generation of kids that think that blacks haven’t made any contribution and why should they have any value?”
Akbar’s recommendation for a more in-depth black history education will stop the perpetration of the “fear” that he believes creates the racial inequality that exists today. In addition, the former NFL player commented on the league’s response to the ongoing protests, saying that actual change needs to be made. “We have to make changes and we have to be solution-oriented. I think when you look at the NFL, 75% of the athletes in the NFL are black, and if you can’t listen to a majority group, then what will you listen to?” Akbar said. “It’s not enough just to say, ‘I hear you.’ It’s not enough just to say ‘It’s okay for you to take a knee.’ Take that same money off the sweat equity of these athletes and put it into education and being able to change the educational curriculum.”
Akbar also teased tonight’s season finale of American Ninja Warrior Junior on Universal Kids at 7 PM ET! “They really stepped up but now we’re down to the finals and so many ninjas came out and gave their absolute best. We’ve got guys who are really going to have an opportunity to win serious money on their ninja journey but they’re not doing it for the money, they’re doing it for the passion and the love for American Ninja Warrior Junior,” he said. Tune in!