Singer Sevyn Streeter says she was scheduled to sing the national anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers game yesterday, but before she was set to go on the court, the team denied her because she was wearing a jersey that said, “We Matter.”
Was suppose to sing the anthem at @sixers & @okcthunder game but mins b4 @sixers said I couldn't because I was wearing a "We Matter" jersey pic.twitter.com/wjoJN3rq0r
— Sevyn (@sevyn) October 27, 2016
Makeup artist Tatiana Ward explained the incident further in an Instagram post, saying, “They told her to change it or she couldn’t sing.” Streeter also explained to AP that she was never given a dress code or any instructions for her outfit before the performance. According to a Fox news correspondent, the 76ers offered Streeter alternative outfits, but she refused to change.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMC_hbbl0Uf/
The 76ers provided a statement to sports writer Dan Feldman: “The Philadelphia 76ers organization encourages meaningful actions to drive social change,” it said. “We use our games to bring people together, to build trust and to strengthen our communities. As we move from symbolic gestures to action, we will continue to leverage our platform to positively impact our community.”
Protests and statements about Black Lives Matter and police brutality have been gaining steam this year, especially in the NFL, with Colin Kaepernick leading the trend to kneel for the national anthem. The Daily Dot has reached out to Streeter about the incident and will update if and when she responds.