Skip to main content
Principled woman leads the way with protest
At Philosophy Football’s Why Black Matters seminar, Dave Zirin spoke to Kadeem Simmonds about the first athlete to protest at the recent killings in the US, a young female basketball player called Ariyana Smith

Ariyana Smith. To many it’s just a name and up until a few days ago I had no idea who she was. But once I had heard her story, it is a name I will never forget.

On November 29 Smith made the “Hands up, don’t shoot” gesture at a university basketball game. She lay on the court for four-and-a-half minutes — Michael Brown lay dead on the streets of Ferguson for four-and-a-half hours — before getting up with her fist raised and leaving the gym.

Unfortunately for her, her name isn’t as famous as basketball superstar LeBron James or the players of American Football franchise the St Louis Rams. 

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
Gisele Pelicot presents the German edition of her memoir, 'A Hymn for Life', in Hamburg, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026
International Women’s Day 2026 / 7 March 2026
7 March 2026

Gisele Pelicot said ‘shame must change sides.’ We may think we agree, but, argues LOUISE RAW, society still has some way to go

lttmust
Features / 11 August 2025
11 August 2025

LYNNE WALSH reports from the Women’s Declaration International conference on feminist struggles from Britain to the Far East

Northern Ireland's Kristina O'Hara (left) in action against India's MC Mery Kom at Oxenford Studios during day ten of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Australia
Women’s boxing / 18 July 2025
18 July 2025

Mary Kom’s fists made history in the boxing world. Malak Mesleh’s never got the chance. One story ends in glory, the other in grief — but both highlight the defiance of women who dare to fight, writes JOHN WIGHT

Algeria�s Imane Khelif (left) in action against Thailand�s Janjaem Suwannapheng during the Women�s 66kg Semi-Final at Roland-Garros Stadium on the Eleventh day of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in France. Picture date: Tuesday August 6, 2024
Boxing / 4 July 2025
4 July 2025

The Khelif gender row shows no sign of being resolved to the satisfaction of anyone involved anytime soon, says boxing writer JOHN WIGHT