The partnership between the National Football League and Roc Nation has produced six public service announcements addressing police violence and systemic racism. The latest PSA covers O’Shae Terry, a 24-year-old man who was shot four times and killed in Arlington, Texas by a member of the Arlington Police Department.
“O’Shae was taken from us two years ago, and not a day goes by where I don’t think of him and his spirit. That day changed our life forever. My mother, a stroke survivor, still asks to see O’Shae every day, unaware he’s no longer with us. My children grieve on a daily basis,” says Sherley Woods, Terry’s mother. “As a family, we are devastated by not ever being able to see O’Shae again. No mother should have to experience the heartbreak of having their child murdered at the hands of the individuals tasked with the protection of others – yet too many mothers have. I am sincerely grateful to the NFL and Roc Nation for honoring my son and telling his story.”
She continues, “The officers that took him from us also took an oath to protect and serve – they shouldn’t be able to kill with impunity. They must be held accountable for their criminal acts, they must be prosecuted and sentenced – it is the humane and moral thing to do. Things must change, and I hope O’Shae’s legacy can serve as a beacon for that change.”
Woods also narrates the NFL/Roc Nation PSA. Terrence Harmon, who was a passenger in the vehicle as O’ Shae was shot, also appears in the video. The ad, which is part of the Inspire Change initiative, ran during the Monday Night Football game between the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers.
“Current and ongoing events have shown us that our country continues to face racial injustices. The goal of this and other NFL Inspire Change PSAs is to share the stories of victims and raise awareness of systemic racism. We hope that O’Shae’s story reminds us all that we must come together to create change,” states Anna Isaacson, Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility at the NFL.