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The story of George Floyd is not actually as distant from us as it may seem: we believe it’s time to take a stand and raise our voices because none of us is exempt from the serious task of challenging racism, inequality, and injustice.

A bit of history

October 16, 1968.
One of the most famous images in sports history: John Carlos and Tommie Smith, wearing socks, heads bowed, fists raised to the sky, protest on the Olympic podium at the Mexico City Games against the deplorable treatment of African Americans.

1968 is a chaotic year in the United States, marked by countless tragedies and events that will remain ingrained in history: the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, the Vietnam War, student protests, and worker strikes.

Beyond this, outside the Olympic village, in the Plaza of the Three Cultures in Tlatelolco (Mexico City), police and national guard suppress a protesting crowd with violence: the exact number of victims is still unknown.

Nevertheless, the Olympic Games loom, and “the show must go on.”

The third man

During the Mexico City Games, IOC President Avery Brundage had threatened immediate expulsion for any athlete using the Games to protest: the Games were to remain apolitical.

Carlos and Smith disagreed and wanted to bring their protest to the Olympic podium with a medal around their necks. They would step onto the podium in socks (symbolizing black poverty in the United States) and wear black leather gloves (symbolizing the Black Power movement).

The two athletes found support in the Australian Peter Norman (also present in the photo). Peter not only embraced the protest gesture of the two Americans but also agreed to their plan, surprising and earning the admiration of Carlos and Smith.

It couldn’t have been different: Norman is a former Salvation Army member who grew up in a devout Christian family. He believes in human rights and is disgusted by the treatment of indigenous people in his home country.

During the award ceremony, when the American anthem plays, the two Americans don’t look at the flag but fix their gaze on their black socks and raise their gloved fists to the sky. Norman wears the Olympic Project for Human Rights badge but remains still on the second step.

The story behind a photograph

The 1968 Mexico City Games are remembered for three reasons:

• Bob Beamon’s world record long jump
• Dick Fosbury’s high jump (the Fosbury Flop)
• Carlos and Smith’s protest gesture

However, no one remembers Peter Norman, aptly referred to as the third man – to the extent that, in the statue honoring the two Americans at San Jose State University, his figure is absent.
His was a silent protest, and despite it costing him dearly (upon returning home, he was treated as an outcast, and white Australia sought to erase him from history), it was long forgotten.

Taking a stand

Despite half a century having passed, parallels with 1968 abound.
2020 is a difficult and chaotic year: due to the lingering effects of the Coronavirus, it’s hard to give proper attention to events like the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests in the USA. As we go about our daily lives, it all seems distant and distorted.

The story of Floyd isn’t actually as distant from us as it may seem. None of us is exempt from the serious task of challenging racism, inequality, and the injustice of a system that still, after years of struggles, targets and harms minorities – whether they be social, gender-related, racial, religious, or anything else.

Peter Norman’s silent gesture, which cost him his peace of mind and the champion’s life he deserved, remained hidden in a photograph, forgotten in world history.
Norman always said he didn’t feel like “history” but was “in solidarity with history.”

Despite remaining an admirable and heroic act, we believe it’s time to do more than remain in respectful silence.

Many brands have already taken a stand, as in the case of Nike, Netflix, HBO, and Disney, and Twitter has changed its profile description, leaving only the hashtag #blacklivesmatter and changing the logo color from blue to black. Many other entities and public figures have joined the chorus of protests, while others have chosen silence, like the giants Facebook and Zoom.

A social media post is a good first step, but it’s only the beginning of a long journey. It’s not just about slogans: values are genuine when they’re part of the DNA and not just a strategic marketing choice.

In our own small way, here at Antartika, we strive to make a difference. We know we’re only a small contribution, a drop in the ocean, but we want our voice to be heard.
Our editorial plan for June will be dedicated to Pride Month, and we want to commit to communicating our positions more, discussing events, commemorations, and worthy celebratory days. Sharing content like this and this, which we believe should be seen by as many people as possible.

We’re considering ramping up communication on other social channels, given Zuckerberg’s complicity.

This is us, this is what we, as a company, want to do in addition to what we already do every day: try to create an atmosphere of serenity, acceptance, and where the only discrimination is directed at Rossella’s outdated jeans overalls ????

And you, are you with us?