Kershaw commits to take stand against racism: 'Silence won't cut it'

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw issued a statement Thursday to commemorate Juneteenth (June 19) and call for the world to stand up to racism.

Juneteenth is the anniversary of the official end of slavery in the United States in 1865, which came two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Kershaw said that despite the abolition of slavery, racism remains a pervasive problem that will take hard work to combat.

"Tomorrow is Juneteenth - the day that marks the abolition of slavery in 1865," Kershaw wrote. "And yet today our black brothers and sisters are still facing injustices everyday, a reality that spans the history of our country. We have to stand up and say something.

"Change starts with conversations - we have to be willing to listen and learn and enter into tough conversations, both with our black brothers and sisters and with our white brothers and sisters. Silence won't cut it. We have to start by saying something and standing up for our black brothers and sisters. I want to listen, I want to learn, I want to do better and be different. I want my kids to be different."

Kershaw's statement comes as protests against police brutality and racial injustice continue across the world.

"Black lives matter and I am committed to taking a stand and affecting change - starting with myself," he said.

Teammates Kenley Jansen, David Price, and Walker Buehler were among those to voice their support in response.