Reggie Bullock of the Dallas Mavericks has been selected as the 2022 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion, according to the NBA. Bullock was chosen from a group of five finalists for his commitment to social justice and advancing Abdul-life Jabbar’s mission of engaging, empowering, and driving equality for individuals and groups who have been historically marginalized or systemically disadvantaged, particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community.
Bullock dedicated his life to preserving his transgender sister Mia Henderson’s legacy and advocating for better exposure and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community after she was murdered in 2014. Bullock immediately connected with organizations in the Dallas area, including Abounding Prosperity, Dallas Southern Pride, House of Rebirth, The Black-Tie Dinner, the Resource Center, and the Muhlashia Booker Foundation, to take action in support of their work after joining the Mavericks ahead of the 2021-22 season.
“We are all one, and I believe love lies in everybody’s heart,” said Bullock. “It’s incredibly important to me as a cisgender athlete to stand in support of the trans and LGBTQ+ community.”
Bullock took part in a Mavs Take ACTION! initiative session titled Voices Unheard, Uplifting Trans Perspectives, alongside representatives from the Muhlashia Booker Foundation, ahead of the National Day of Trans Visibility on March 31, 2022. The discussion touched on the difficulties of losing a trans family member, community obstacles, and how allies may provide protection, partnership, visibility, and inclusion to trans people.
Bullock has utilized his platform to advocate for acceptance and inclusion of all people for for a decade, including participation in the NYC Pride March, pride games with various NBA teams, the GLAAD Media Awards, and activities for LGBTQ+ children and allies at NBA All-Stars and beyond. Bullock also founded RemarkaBULL, an organization dedicated to revitalizing areas for LGBTQ+ people to have a secure life. He continues to campaign for these persons’ equal rights and protections, including speaking out against legislation that forbids transgender adolescents from participating in sports and urging higher education institutions to examine inclusive policies. He teamed with the Vera Institute of Justice to interact with jailed communities and raise awareness about the adverse effects of mass imprisonment in order to help prevent violence against women.
Bullock wrote a Players Tribune piece titled “I Just Wanna Say My Sisters’ Names” in June 2021, in which he discussed the deaths of Henderson and his younger sister, Keiosha Moore, and advocated for increased awareness of gun violence and crimes against women. According to the Human Rights Campaign, more than 50 trans and gender non-conforming people were killed in the United States in 2017, the most in a single year on record. Since 2013, the Human Rights Campaign has identified 256 cases of lethal violence against trans and gender-nonconforming people, with at least 84 percent of that slain being people of color, 85 percent trans women, and 66 percent Black trans women.
