I watched the Joe Mixon video yesterday.
I felt physically ill as I watched her fall to the ground. I don’t personally know Amelia, but I hold an immense amount of compassion and empathy for her. She is an unwilling participant in this horrible scandal. In no way shape or form did she deserve what happened to her. She is an innocent victim who deserves nothing but love and support. As do ALL victims of sexual assault and physical violence.
Two years ago, I came forward with my own personal story of gang-rape and when I saw the opportunity to get involved as a change maker I took a leap of faith and jumped in with both feet. I started with legislation in Oregon. I have since helped pass five laws that protect victims of sexual violence and I am working on several more bills this session. I successfully lobbied the Pac12 for a transfer rule barring violent athletes. I partnered with Oregon State University and President Ed Ray and together we have made OSU a leader on how to deal with campus based violence. My son Darius Adams lobbied the NCAA and today, because of his Dear NCAA letter and his change.org petition, I now sit on a committee that is charged with addressing how the NCAA will deal with violent athletes. I’ve shared my story with 15 different colleges – most notably Nebraska, Baylor, SMU, and Oklahoma. I donate my time to non-profit organizations and I speak to students majoring in psychology and law studies. Please know that I’m not sharing these things with you as a way to brag, but rather to show you my dedication and commitment to this work. This has become my life’s passion and mission. I left a full-time Registered Nursing career and the comfort and security of a regular paycheck to do this work.
Every single day I choose to live in my rape. I choose to get up out of bed every morning and I try to figure out what I can do today to change the hearts and minds of our society. The most horrifying event of my life plays over and over in my head on a daily basis. Every time I tell my story I rip open that wound and sometimes it takes days for me to recover, but I’m not asking for your sympathy. I CHOOSE to do this work. I choose to open my twitter and see messages of encouragement and love and message of hate and disgust for me and my work. I take the good with the bad and I do the best that I can.
I have several coaches who have rallied around me and supported me since coming forward with my story - Coach Mike Riley, Coach Chad Morris and Coach Bob Stoops are all men that I have publicly referenced as friends and allies in the fight against campus based violence. Coach Bob Stoops’ character has been called into question recently and justifiably so. He has made some recruiting decisions that I do not support or condone. I do not agree with recruiting or keeping violent athletes on any team at any level or division of athletics. Participating in athletics is a privilege not a right.
Last night I emailed Coach Bob Stoops and Joe Castiglione.
Coach Stoops and AD Castiglione,
Obviously, we've all heard that the Mixon tape was released. I cried and felt physically nauseous as I watched it - as I'm sure many women and victims of violence did.
I have been very public about my alliance with the OU football team and Coach Stoops. I absolutely believe that any program, regardless of past decisions, can do better - if they so choose. I have always considered OU to be a powerhouse program that has the ability and opportunity to help shift a culture that values winning over human life and leaves victims to suffer lifelong consequences at the cost of winning.
Lets be honest, your program looks really terrible right now - and justifiably so. As a public voice on the issue of violence against women I have been inundated with interview requests and questions. Do I regret my involvement with the football program? Were Coach Stoops and the Athletic Department using me to push their own agenda? Do you think you are making a difference? and then of course there are the vicious Baylor fans who are calling me a hypocrite and so on and so forth.
I have chosen not to make a comment on the video right now. I wanted to contact you gentlemen first. I value my relationship with your program and I see a great opportunity to do some good work here - if of course, you are willing.
It is my understanding that as the AD and Head coach you can implement policies and procedures as you see fit. Now, would be a great time to overhaul some policies and procedures and set a new precedent and legacy moving forward. One that OU can be proud of.
I would propose that you fly me out to Oklahoma after the first of the year and we sit down and create some new policies that will prevent future incidents of violent athletes being recruited to Oklahoma football. I would propose that Oklahoma become the gold standard in football. That your program would become the example of accountability and best practices for recruitment and discipline of violent athletes. A football program that not only recognizes the importance of ending violence against women, but understands their responsibility to be part of the solution within this violent culture.
You have the opportunity to be the change college football so desperately needs. I want to continue to partner with you, but I think at this point that includes some action. This has moved beyond an apology and a promise to do better at a press conference. It's time for Oklahoma to show and prove.
I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully working with you.
Brenda Tracy
I have not heard whether Oklahoma will take me up on my offer or not. My biggest question right now is “If another Joe Mixon tape came across the recruiting desk would you bring that athlete on to the team?” I haven’t heard the answer to that question yet, but I hope that the resounding answer is NO. I think it is also important that we know the answer to that question PRIOR to Joe Mixon playing his last game in a Sooner uniform.
Coach Stoops has a great opportunity before him to change the face of college football. I hope that he will proactively step to the plate and take a hard line stance against violent athletes. If he does, I will be there to support him in any way that I can, but regardless of his decision, I will continue my advocacy. I will continue to lobby and push for change. I will continue to use my voice and tell my story. I will never give up. Never.