Good Sports: Formal Central grad named president of FPU's Athletes of Color Alliance

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Athletes of Color Alliance will serve as a student-led forum of student-athletes of Fresno Pacific to collaborate on issues of social justice in our community."

There's a saying that "Change starts with you" but in the case of Central grad D.J. Maxwell it started with a tweet.

"The school still hadn't done anything that was significant for Black History Month, it was basically like - 'Does FPU not care about Black History Month?'," Maxwell says.

The senior track and field jumper whose tweet sparked a conversation of change is now the president of FPU's Athletes of Color Alliance.

"Initially it was just me being angry, but it's so much deeper than that," says Maxwell.

The organization is meant to provide a safe space for student-athletes of all racial backgrounds - an environment where they can use their voice.

"All of us have growth to do in this space, and the best people to guide us in that is our young people," says Coach Haydock.

Sunbird's Head Men's Basketball coach C.J. Haydock is the club's advisor. He reached out to Maxwell in February.

Their first piece of action was to encourage the Sunbirds to vote.

"I definitely think I have been put in a spot that's monumental and create momentum going forward," says Maxwell.

He's a Sunbird on the right track for change. Even though DJ will be graduating this year he's hopeful the torch will be passed down to his peers.

"As a coach when you recruit you bet on guys, you bet your career on guys, in a different way he's a good person to bet on in terms of affecting change on our campus, in our community, in our world," says Coach Haydock.