Forward Progress

Forward Progress

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Forward Progress episodes

  • History At Super Bowl 57
    Jason is joined by Amin Elhassan this week, and the guys discuss the upcoming historic Super Bowl 57 as Jalen Hurts' Philadelphia Eagles & Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs will square off. It marks the first time two black players at QB will face each other at the Super Bowl. The guys discuss Meyers Leonard's attempt at a comeback to the NBA. Leonard has not played since 2021 after using an antisemitic slur during a video game livestream. The guys are visited by Greg Taylor, Executive Director of the NBA Foundation. Greg announces the Foundation's extended partnership with the Children's Defense Fund. It is the largest single grant to date, totaling 3.6 million over three years. Through this partnership, the Children's Defense Fund will help identify candidates and support program management for the NBA HBCU Fellowship program. Additionally, Greg talks about the Foundation handing out 31 grants totaling 12 million dollars to 34 nonprofit organizations historically serving the black community.
    48 min
  • Ed Reed Situation at Bethune-Cookman University
    We take a deep dive inside the Ed Reed situation at Bethune-Cookman University. We listen to Ed's comments courtesy of Roland Martin's show and we are visited by the athletic director of Bethune-Cookman, former NBA great Reggie Theus! Jason and Kirk discuss the Shannon Sharpe incident at the Lakers' game last week and his apology thereafter. The show ends with a chat about F1 racer Lewis Hamilton as he discussed suffering racial abuse at school.
    1 hr 11 min
  • Gary Linnen, CEO PeerForward
    Jason and Kirk discuss the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, interfering in the NHL planned diversity job fair that is coming up in February. The governor's office forced the NHL to change how the fair is presented. The guys then discuss the rant from Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed as his video going off on the conditions at Bethune Cookman went viral. The fellas wrap with a nod to the career of Maya Moore who officially announced her retirement this week and a congratulations to Ran Carthon who has been hired to take over as GM of the Tennessee Titans.
    Gary Linnen, CEO PeerForward
    PeerForward is a nonprofit organization that has placed more than 350,000 students from low-income communities on the path to college and career success. The NBA Foundation has recently announced that PeerForward is one of their 2022 grant recipients. This is the 7th round of recipients the NBA has announced. Gary has been CEO of PeerForward for over a decade and has shaped PeerForward's current peer-to-peer structure which, as studies show, has resulted in up to 26% of higher financial aid applications being submitted via partnering and paticipating schools in comparison to those wothout the PeerForwad Program.
    48 min
  • Megan Perry - Athlete. Broadcaster. Executive.
    Happy New Year! The guys are back and this week they're discussing Black Monday in the NFL; an HBCU making history; the importance of the Martin Luther King Holiday and we recieve a visit from a basketball executive, broadcaster and former player Megan Perry!
    48 min
  • Coaches vs Racism HBCU Roundball Classic 2022
    Jason and Kirk discuss Brittney Griner returning home from a Russian penal colony and the various reactions surrounding her release. The guys also discuss Kevin Durant and the Durant Family Foundation's 500k donation to renovate the gym at Bowie State. The show ends on a chat about T.C. Taylor, a former JSU standout player and Deion Sanders' WR coach at the school taking over for Sanders as head coach of the Jackson State football team. The guys are joined by Darryl Woods - Executive Director, Coaches vs. Racism. Darryl joins the show to discuss this year's Roundball Classic, hosted by Coaches vs Racism. Coaches Vs. Racism is a national nonprofit leading the charge to end systemic racism through sports. The HBCU Roundball Classic features a series of high profile match-ups between Division 1 schools and HBCUs. This year the particiapting schools are Univeristy of Houston, North Carolina AT&T, Prairie View A&M, Texas Tech & the Univeristy of Montana. There is a little bit of an extra buzz this year as Houston was ranked #1 in the nation and Texas Tech is a top 25 team calibner team. The games seek to amplify awareness of incredible athletic talent from all schools, placing an emphasis on HBCUs who traditionally lack resources and equipment and are routinely overlooked by professional talent scouts. Darryl talks about about how this event has evolved, how CVR is combating racism through sports and what to expect this week as the games take place.
    48 min
  • Deion Sanders' Impact on HBCUs
    The guys discuss the Georgia runoff elections for senate that saw former NFL running back Herschel Walker lose to the incumbent, Rev. Raphael Warnock. Discussion includes exploring why Herschel, who has zero experience in public service, was even in the race for a senior level position in congress to begin with. The guys react to Deion Sanders officially taking the job as head coach of the University of Colorado and the many reactions from people on both sides of Deion's decision. The guys chat about Nike's decision to end its deal with Brooklyn Nets guard, Kyrie Irving.
    Steve Wyche, Chief National Reporter at the NFL Network and a graudate of Howard University, joins the show to discuss why folks are disappointed in Deion Sanders' decision to leave Jackson State for the University of Colorado. Deion has done a lot for HBCUs by his many successes at Jackson State, aside from winning games. Folks wanted that to continue. Deion has always wanted to be a coach at a Power 5 school and his opportunity came with the Colorado offer. This isnt a surprise that he took the job. The opportunities are still there for HBCU athletics to grow and for investments to come into those universities. Applications are through the roof at HBCUs. Folks like Deion and VP Kamala Harris have helped the resurgence of HBCUs. Deion will get players at Colorado and Colorado will be turned around quickly. He can motivate young people and they have faith in him. He will just have tougher competition and more attention than he had before.
    48 min
  • Protests At The World Cup
    Jason and Kirk talk about the many protests at the World Cup taking place in Qatar. They also update the latest reports on the poor conditions Brittney Griner is dealing with at a Russian penal colony. From there, the discussion turn to the 1957 photo that has Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (14 years old at the time) looking over a crowd of white students as six black students walked up the steps of North Little Rock High School in Arkansas as the school was being integrated. The show ends with a chat on the job offers Deion Sanders has been getting from FBS schools.
    48 min
  • NFL's Racial & Gender Hiring Report Card
    Jason and Kirk react to Dave Chappelle's opening monolugue on Saturday Night Live; discuss the NFL's Racial & Gender Hiring Report Card that was released and we remember the great Fred Hickman, who passed away recently.
    48 min
  • Facing Social Justice In Sports
    Jason and Kirk discuss the role leagues played in this week's elections; an update on the Kyrie-Irving Brooklyn Nets situation and we receive a visit from Dr. Adam J. Kuban, of Ball State University!
    48 min

About Forward Progress

From the publisher's feed

Hosted by award-winning NBA broadcaster Jason Jackson and former NFL linebacker/broadcaster Kirk Morrison, “Forward Progress” features conversations with athletes and activists about the pursuit for…