Despite Contract With Under Armour, Misty Copeland Publicly Denounces CEO's Pro Trump Stance
If you are unfamiliar with Misty Copeland, you might have been in a coma for the past five years. The principal ballerina with the prestigious American Ballet Theater is a media superstar. She also happens to be the first Black principal in the company's history.
Amongst her many projects, Copeland codesigned a collection with Under Armour after several seasons of being the face of the brand. I spoke with her about the launch on Tuesday and shortly after, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank's statements that declared Trump to be "an asset to the country" were released presenting a very complicated conflict of interest.
Well today, Copeland officially issued a response to her 1.3 million followers, proving once and for all why she is role model goals.
She said, "I have always appreciated the great support and platform that Under Armour has given me to represent my community, gender, and career on the world stage. However, I strongly disagree with Kevin Plank's recent comments in support of Trump as recently reported. Those of you who have supported and followed my career know that the one topic I've never backed away from speaking openly about is the importance of diversity and inclusion. It is imperative to me that my partners and sponsors share this belief. I have spoken at length with Kevin privately about the matter, but as someone who takes my responsibility as a role model very seriously, it is important to me that he, and UA, take public action to clearly communicate and reflect our common values in order for us to effectively continue to work towards our shared goal of trying to motivate ALL people to be their best selves."
Bravo, Misty.