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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - With many NBA teams boycotting playoff games and NFL players shunning practices in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake, Northeastern State University athletes joined together to protest police brutality and racism.

On Aug. 23, Jacob Blake, 29, was shot in the back several times by police officers during an altercation. Blake, who is Black, had a warrant out for his arrest for criminal trespass, domestic abuse and sexual assault, which spurred police to arrest him after a 911 call was placed at his address. Blake was trying to get into his car when he was shot several times. His children were in the car.

This shooting, along with other acts of violence by police across the country, have marked a major point of contention throughout America and the world over the past several months. In response to what many consider to be acts of police brutality, individuals in groups such as Black Lives Matter have been protesting throughout the country.

Athletes in particular have been outspoken, taking actions such as kneeling for the national anthem during football games, or wearing "Black Lives Matter" on the backs of their jerseys.

Antreanna Brooks, women's basketball player and graduate student at NSU, said Black people protest because they are constantly under threat.

"We are at risk just by being African American," said Brooks. "To some, they only care if we are dribbling a ball or scoring a touchdown. We are more than just a jersey."

Brooks added that the protest meant a great deal to her personally. She believes that, at the end of the day, many participants just want to be heard.

"African American athletes make up a majority of the sports programs, but nothing was being said about it. We're risking our health on the field or court to play, but leaving our house every day is a greater risk we face," said Brooks. "If we didn't have a voice before, I believe they heard us now."

Coaches and other bystanders came out to walk with the athletes, with the number of participants reaching well over 100 at times. They began their march at 1 p.m. at the fountain in the center of the Tahlequah campus. They proceeded downtown toward the county courthouse, then circled back around campus until they returned to the fountain. There, protesters stood and chanted, waved signs at passing cars, and said they hoped their voices were heard.

While marching, protesters could be heard chanting sayings such as "Black Lives Matter!" and "Hands up, don't shoot!" Many drivers of passing cars lifted their fists and honked their horns in support, but not all were so inviting. One passenger in a car could be heard yelling, "All lives matter!" and that the protest was "retarded."

"I think people who have that view must first understand the purpose and reason behind the protest," said Eli Harvey, NSU senior and former football player. "We're not out there to say Black lives matter more than other races. We're just trying to say Black lives should be treated equally. To say the protest is 'retarded' hurts, because we see so many unarmed African American people killed at the hand of police officers, and as athletes, I feel like we can use our platform to bridge that gap and bring awareness to the social injustice that happens every day."

Cory Jones, NSU junior and football player, said he just wants to bring everyone together.

"My purpose is to raise awareness of the tiresome lifestyle of my people in America - a fight we've been dealing with for 400 years," said Jones. "[It's] to try to shed light on what we face every day and to delete the unjust, nasty and disappointing police brutality we face as Black people."

Jones said he was very pleased with the turnout of the event.

Ty Nichols, NSU junior and football player, said plans for the protest developed very quickly.

"We planned this march two hours before we were supposed to attend workouts," said Nichols. "But seeing how the NBA players chose to boycott their playoff games because of the tragic shooting of Jacob Blake, it motivated us to agree on the decision to come together as an athletic unit. It's bigger than sports, and we have to let people know that."

Nichols added he believes the protest brought a lot of awareness to the issue, but that he can't believe he even still needs to take such action.

"For the first day, I would say we brought a lot of awareness to the community and on the message we want to send," said Nichols. "But at this point, people should already know the message. It is countless Black people being gunned down by the hands of police officers almost every day. However, the peaceful protest went extremely well. We really felt the love within all of the teams together, and most importantly, the community."

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Athletes at Northeast Oklahoma university boycott practice, march downtown to protest Blake shooting

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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - With many NBA teams boycotting playoff games and NFL players shunning practices in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake, Northeastern State University athletes joined together to protest police brutality and racism. On Aug. 23, Jacob Blake, 29, was shot in the back several times by police officers during an altercation.

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Several Athletes and community members who were involved in the march/protest, are already one step closer to creating everlasting change, by speaking out about all of the inequalities that are present today and raising awareness. This not only takes courage, but is a prime example of proactively altering our world to a better and inclusive place. Eli Harvey an NSU senior and former football player, says" I feel like we can use our platform to bridge that gap and bring awareness to the social injustice that happens every day.”

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Both students and community members were joined by additional advocacy for their bravery to stand up for systemic racism and the inequalities that are present today, with cars chanting with support. While marching, "many drivers of passing cars lifted their fists and honked their horns in support protesters in cars could be heard chanting sayings such as “Black Lives Matter!” and “Hands up, don’t shoot!”

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The peaceful protest brought by the students and community members have raised extreme awareness for BLM and shed light on what we face every day and to delete the unjust, nasty and disappointing police brutality we face as Black people.”(Cory Jones, NSU junior and football player).  Their efforts combined, brought everyone together by showing love/empathy within all of the teams together, and the community.

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The NSU athletes and many other around the world are tired of the racism and police brutality. This Important issue has become so prevalent , due to the constant incidents of police brutality and violence directed towards Black Lives.“I think people who have that view must first understand the purpose and reason behind the protest,” said Eli Harvey, NSU senior and former football player. “We’re not out there to say Black lives matter more than other races. We’re just trying to say Black lives should be treated equally. To say the protest is 'retarded' hurts, because we see so many unarmed African American people killed at the hand of police officers, and as athletes, I feel like we can use our platform to bridge that gap and bring awareness to the social injustice that happens every day.”

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Many NSU athletes and community members are outraged with of the death of Jacob Blake and many other innocent black lives dying in the hands of racism and police brutality. A former NSU athlete, says "We are at risk just by being African American,” said Brooks. “To some, they only care if we are dribbling a ball or scoring a touchdown. We are more than just a jersey.” Alumni Brooks believes just as many others believe that the protest meant a great deal to them personally. Because, many participants just want to be heard.

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Jordan Turner,(seen in the image below) a freshman football player at NSU, joined several other North Eastern Oklahoma University athletes,to boycott their sports practices to protest police against brutality and racism. The constant deaths, due to  incidents of police brutality and racially motivated crimes against Black Lives, provoked theses students to speak out using their voice and athletic platform.This occurred on August 27, from campus to downtown Tahlequah.