By: Coles Brown

News Reporting and Writing

Dr. Brandon Wallace, an assistant professor of cinema and media studies at Indiana University, spoke to students at the university’s High School Journalism Institute (HSJI) on July 8, summarizing his research on the intersection of sport, race and social activism. He described his mission as an effort to “unleash the emancipatory power of sport to create positive social change”—a message he feels is essential to pass on to the next generation.

Many HSJI participants—a group of high school students spending a week exploring different aspects of journalism—jotted down notes as Wallace spoke, planning articles based on his lecture. Despite the crowd’s attention, Wallace’s demeanor remained calm and conversational, and he frequently drew laughs with his casual tone and storytelling style.

Wallace began by sharing his childhood experiences, including the first time he encountered racism. He recalled being a clumsy kid who “probably hadn’t even hit puberty yet” and didn’t play much on his school’s junior varsity basketball team. But the first time he touched the ball in a game, he was double-teamed—a tactic typically used against top players. Wallace explained that this overestimation of his ability stemmed from the stereotype that Black athletes are naturally better at sports.

His interest in social movements was sparked during the mid-2010s, a period marked by the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. At first, he didn’t support NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem in protest of police brutality.

“When Colin Kaepernick started kneeling, I was really against it,” Wallace said.

But as he began to educate himself, Wallace’s views shifted. He realized that Kaepernick’s actions aligned with broader issues of social justice and that sports could serve as a platform for activism.

“I tried to seek the answers to the questions going around in my head,” he said. “And in doing so, I put myself in the position to make the world a better place.”

Wallace soon became involved in the Know Your Rights Camp, a social justice organization co-founded by Kaepernick that aims to empower Black and Brown communities through legal education, self-empowerment and community support. Wallace said this experience narrowed his focus as a researcher, leading him to ask: What are the different kinds of resources that sport allocates to social movements?

That question became central to his upcoming book, Beyond a Kneel: How Social Movements Harness the Power of Sport. In it, Wallace explores both the power and pitfalls of sports as a cultural institution. He explains that while sports promote health, community, and life skills, they can also reinforce violence, discrimination and division.

Wallace also argued that sports are used to communicate subtle political messages—what he called “spectacles” that glorify war, nationalism and consumerism. He described sports as deeply rooted in capitalism.

“The central objective of sport in the U.S. context is not to win games,” he said. “It’s to generate profit.”

Yet, Wallace believes sports also offer powerful tools to advance social movements: from providing visibility and resources to fostering empathy and critical thinking. These are the very tools that Kaepernick and other athletes around the world have harnessed in the name of justice, each using their platforms to create change.