Civil rights activist Richard Lapchick spoke to a crowd of Ohio University athletes, students and faculty Monday night at The Convo about civil rights and discrimination in college athletics programs.
Lapchick is the chairman of the DeVos Sport Business Management and the Institute of Diversity and Ethics at the University of Central Florida and a regular columnist for The Business Journal and ESPN.com. Known as a civil rights activist, Lapchick created programs to monitor gender and minority inequalities in hiring practices in the NCAA.
Lapchick spoke with The Post's Jeanna Packard about his influences, the reactions of students and his legacy.
The Post: What motivates you to address the topic of discrimination?
Richard Lapchick: I've seen the reaction of students often enough to know that there are a lot of young people out there waiting for somebody to infuse them with a challenge ' that they can make a difference in the world.
Because of the life experiences I've had, which for college students in particular it's difficult to digest the history of it because they didn't live through the civil rights movement and see what people went through. Hearing from somebody who was involved with it can help make people listen more intently to the other things I'm saying. G?
Post: Is segregation among races the most important topic you are addressing?
Lapchick: Any form of discriminations that makes people feel left in the cold isn't right. And I often say if we don't stand up against racism, sexism, the objectification of women and a range of other things, then when it comes time to stand up for things.
Post: When did you first know (civil rights) was a passion of yours?
Lapchick: I was influenced by my father ' Joe Lapchick, a professional basketball player for the original Celtics and coach of the New York Knicks, who went to three consecutive NBA finals. And after a severe beating from two men who didn't like the work I was doing.
Post: As a white, middle-class male, how are you accepted by the minority groups for whom you are speaking?
Lapchick: The attack changed a lot of things ' the blessing of the attack. A lot of people wanted to know why I continued to do things after that, and I answered in two ways: One, my family never asked me to stop, and I don't know what I would have done if they did. Second, one night in the hospital, three nurses who were African American thought I was asleep and came into my room. Each one kissed my hand, and after they went back into the hall, one said, 'I didn't know white people cared.' I knew a lot of white people who cared, and I knew that I could become a symbol of that.
Post: How do you hope to be remembered?
Lapchick: In addition to father and husband, I want to be remembered as somebody who understood that you don't have to be a woman to fight against sexism, you don't have to be a person of color to fight against racism, you don't have to be poor to fight against poverty and all the other forms of discrimination. I grew up with a middle class background. I never had to worry about money or my education. I could have done other things and made a lot more money, although I'm paid very well by the university ' but anyone can make a difference regardless of where you come from or your racial and ethnic affiliations.
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Jeanna Packard
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