Why I Won't Stick To Sports: Ivy Gonzales
Everyone should be treated the same
Ivy Gonzales
Why I Won’t Stick to Sports is a first-person series written by Colorado State student-athletes. Nationally, athletes are told to “stick to sports”, but as members of the community, they have ideas, motivations and a passion for creating meaningful change in the world. Their talents and knowledge are not limited to fields of play. In their own words, this is why our student-athletes will not stick to sports.
I feel that it is important to use my voice to create change within our community here in Fort Collins and also within our country. I want to use my voice to promote social justice and put an end to inequality.
Being a student at Colorado State University has allowed me to further my education and broaden my experiences and perspectives. As an athlete on the cross country and track teams, I have been given the opportunity to be part of a diverse community and have been able to meet people and make friends who come from all different backgrounds. While I identify as Hispanic, I am also a white-passing woman and I feel that it is my obligation to stand up for what is right and to and speak for those who are oppressed by the system.
No matter a person's skin color, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, everyone deserves to have equal rights, equal opportunities, to be treated equally and with respect and have access to the same resources and opportunities. While the sad reality of the world we live in today may try to suppress these individuals of their human rights, I will not back down or stop advocating for change until there is an inclusive environment where everyone feels safe and that they can openly be themselves.
These individuals should not feel unsafe going somewhere alone, asking for help, or denied services because of the way they look or what they believe in. I have heard of people of color being called racial slurs, I have heard homophobic comments made, and I have heard of women being laughed at and not taken seriously simply because they’re women, and this will not be tolerated. We should not stand for a community that engages in this, but instead promote awareness and ways to help these individuals that create equality.
It’s critical to be aware of current events happening in our community and in our country. We should all be aware of change being made and to educate ourselves on how that change will affect us and what we can do to either promote it or change it. We should have conversations with our friends and family about ways to make this community a better place to be a part of. These aren’t always easy conversations to have, but they’re necessary in order to elicit change. It’s important to be a registered voter so you can actively participate in local and national elections. I will continue to educate myself, discuss events and issues with friends and family and vote so that I can stay engaged in my community and promote justice and equality.
We are more similar than different. I will continue to be an ally and advocate for human rights and encourage you to be one too.
Ivy Gonzales is a redshirt sophomore on the women’s cross country team who has earned academic All-Mountain West and Mountain West Scholar-Athlete honors.