Yes, but: Racism against athletes persists. Native American mascots in Washington and Cleveland were ditched, and though the Braves' tomahawk chop remains, there is a growing conversation regarding its appropriateness.MLB also made the long-overdue decision to elevate the historical Negro Leagues to major league status, and just this week the first Negro Leaguers since 2006 were elected to the Hall of Fame.MLB committed up to $150 million over the next decade to the Players Alliance, aiding diversity initiatives including increasing participation among Black youth, providing professional development for Black people across all levels of baseball, and celebrating Black baseball history and culture. I think our superpower, if we have one, is bringing more eyeballs onto issues and more people into consistent participation.' 'Supporting those bills is part of that meaningful action, but. 'Our mission is to raise awareness, educate and take meaningful action,' says Cadogan.Those efforts have thus far stalled in the Senate with limited bipartisan support, but as the coalition's director James Cadogan tells Axios, that's only part of their mission.The NBA's new Social Justice Coalition, comprising a 15-person board with representatives from the league, ownership, players and coaches, lobbied for police reform, criminal justice reform and voting rights bills before Congress.The next, and perhaps most important step, is ensuring that momentum doesn't fade. State of play: 2020's upheaval has already led to tangible change. Why it matters: Some long-awaited changes have been realized, but both the sports world and society at large are still struggling to bridge the gap between cosmetic vs.

Last year's racial reckoning led to dramatic, visible changes in professional sports as teams ditched racist mascots while leagues pledged millions to support new social justice efforts and made improvements in hiring practices.

Night changes youtube