Union’s Gaddis strives for more than ‘performative activism’
Soft-spoken and humble, Ray Gaddis’ actions have long exceeded his words. Just as his play for the Union over the last decade has far surpassed his second-round SuperDraft hype, Gaddis is short on talk and long on action.
Amid his social media feeds filled with tributes to George Floyd and declarations that Black Lives Matter over the last few weeks, Gaddis sought more than just “performative activism.” As in his Christian ministry or various charitable causes, he sought to get to work.
So when Toronto FC defender Justin Morrow reached out with the idea for the Black Players Coalition, offering Gaddis a spot on the founding board, Gaddis jumped at the chance.
“I thought it was a brilliant idea, and he was thinking what
I was thinking,” Gaddis said on a video call Monday. “He spearheaded a lot of it, and he just kept getting players together and continued to bounce ideas off each other of what we can do to help advance people of color in general.”
Joining the Coalition isn’t Gaddis’ first step since the May 25 killing of Floyd by Minneapolis police. Gaddis, who returned to his native Indianapolis during the COVID-19 quarantine and remained there for several weeks past the Union’s resumption of training in May, took part in a die-in at the state capital for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time that officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee to Floyd’s neck in killing him.
Gaddis also took part in a clergyman march to quell unrest and looting and emphasize the peaceful intent of protests. And he lobbied for reform, pushing Indianapolis to no longer be the largest U.S. city whose police force doesn’t use body cams to advocating for police use-of-force limitations. He was heartened by a “rainbow coalition” advocating on behalf of persons of color, something that the student of history knows is unique.
The Black Players Coalition seeks to bridge the racial gap in MLS by “lobbying for initiatives like implicit bias training, cultural education courses and diversification hiring practices,” according to the announcement it released last Friday to mark Juneteenth. The board includes many MLS stalwarts, including former Union teammate CJ Sapong.
When Gaddis returned to Philadelphia, he was heartened to see a receptive audience. He led a call with Union players and staff to discuss “educational points,” articulating the challenges that Gaddis and other black players face on a daily basis and points of change to push for.
Gaddis was happy to see both coach Jim Curtin and captain Alejandro Bedoya address the issue of racism in soccer head-on.
“It’s just a pleasure to have a coach who’s understanding,” Gaddis said. “… I think his cultural awareness about everything that’s transpired even before he got here and his understanding as a coach, especially dealing with the academy down and it being so diverse, I think he has a sense of awareness to know this is important. In those conversations, even our coaching staff is not going to have all the answers because they don’t go through the realities that colored people do, but it’s great to have a coach that stands up and makes a statement. Not every coach is willing to do that. That says a lot about who we have as a head coach. That says a lot about our organization, him being a very vital presence that fans see all the time and it says a lot about our captain.”
The Union have long been a diverse locker room. The current roster hails from 13 countries and four continents. Bedoya has long confronted issues like gun control and immigration. Gaddis, Sapong and others have been leaders in their charitable works. It’s the kind of culture where you’d expect a call for equality and reform to be well-received.
“If you haven’t caught on, this team is very informed,” Gaddis said. “This team is very educated. This team is fighting for social reform. This team is fighting for what’s right on and off the field. That says a lot collectively about what the Philadelphia Union stands for and the different people they are bringing to this organization, not only that they are great soccer players but they are great human beings.”
The Coalition aims to break down barriers, to spark conversations and use the charged atmosphere of the moment to foster deeper education and activism. Gaddis knows his soccer success has afforded him a platform that he can use to lend his voice to the voiceless.
“I think there will always be that hope that things will change in the future,” Gaddis said. “We want to be a part of the change that we hope to see. We’re watching, I know everybody else is watching. I think it’s a great first step.”