Brook Williams, an African American football player at Aurora University in Illinois, says he faced racial slurs and threatening comments from teammates, which forced him to leave both the team and the school. He says the harassment created a hostile environment he could not tolerate.
Williams had dreamed of playing for Aurora’s football team since his first campus visit. “I was so stuck on Aurora and like the picture they painted of the brotherhood,” he told ABC 7 Chicago. But that vision quickly shattered once he joined the team.
On August 21, Williams was staying at a teammate’s house to save on commuting when he says he was called racial slurs, including the n-word, and faced comments he interpreted as threats referencing George Floyd. “For my safety, because I was the only Black male in the household at the time,” he said, he feared for himself.
An Aurora University investigative report supported Williams’s account. It found that some teammates admitted to racist behavior and concluded there was “no evidence that [Williams] had any motivation to fabricate the allegations.” The report classified the conduct as “hostile environment harassment based on race.”
Williams left the team and school without playing a single game. His mother, Aisha Williams, described his struggle: “These boys, they’re living their American dream while he’s stuck, sad, afraid, hurt, doesn’t know his next move.” The family is consulting with the NAACP and plans to take legal action.
Williams said he leans on his family for support and hopes to return to football stronger. “No one should have to experience this,” he said. “And sadly, it will continue to keep happening and happening. So that’s why us as the Black community has to keep speaking up about this.”
Aurora University issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to a safe and inclusive environment, noting that investigations follow established policies and that any violations are addressed appropriately.
SOURCE: blacknews.com