Several Cubs front office employees gathered at a safe distance to show their desire to see an end to racism and social injustice for the Cubs Associate Rally for Change on Tuesday at Gallagher Way.

Cubs players have voiced their support for social justice and equality, including Jason Heyward, whose recent actions as a leader in the conversation in Chicago and across MLB have been significant in working toward progress. In order to continue positive change, the Cubs front office associates – who have also been unified with players on this sensitive issue that faces our country – believed it was important to do something meaningful. That opportunity came in the form of Tuesday’s rally, where Tom and Laura Ricketts, along with other Cubs associates voiced their commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion. Several personal thoughts and meaningful stories were also shared during the event.

“It’s great that we are gathering for true purpose,” Tom Ricketts said. “As history books look at the year 2020, it’s going to go down as the year of the Coronavirus, the COVID-19 pandemic, of course. But, it’s also going to go down as a year where excessive police force has led us all to question what is going on in our society and let us all test our assumptions and ask ourselves ‘What’s really going on?’. I know it’s been the case for me personally where you have to think ‘Have I been looking at this the right way all of these years and what am I missing?’. I don’t care who you are, no matter how you look at the situation and what’s happening with social justice and racism and equality, you come to the conclusion that we have a lot of work to do and we’re not there.”

Cubs associates in attendance were wearing t-shirts imprinted with social justice statements to help vocalize their support.

Jahmal Cole, the CEO and founder of My Hood, My Block and My City, was also in attendance sporting a Cubs hat and spoke to associates about the growing social justice movement in Chicago and how his organization is working hard to make positive change on the front lines. Cole urged associates to be involved in organizations and participate in activities that support social justice in our local communities.

“Chicago is a beautiful city,” Cole said in an interview with Cole Wright that aired during Cubs Live! on Marquee Sports Network. “We have people of all different colors, genders, religions, opinions, ethnicities, occupations. It don’t matter if you’re on the North Side, South Side, West Side or over east, it’s 77 communities. One Chicago.”

Cole went to share his passion for positive change in the Windy City and his appreciation for the Cubs Associate Rally for Change.

“Diversity is our best quality. So, I love celebrating diversity and I love the Chicago Cubs too.”