Integrity
A person with integrity is known for being honest and having strong moral principles. You might say that a person with integrity has moral conviction, uprightness, and strength. This person follows a moral compass to guide decision-making in life. Do you have a moral compass? If so, how did you develop your integrity? How does your integrity show up in your life? If not, how might you develop your integrity?
Arthur Ashe broke racial barriers in tennis, becoming the first Black man to win major titles, including the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. Off the court, he was known for his leadership in civil rights, education, and health awareness. Ashe faced challenges with quiet strength – from segregation in his youth to HIV/AIDS later in life – always showing dignity, fairness, and commitment to helping others.
Arthur remembered his father’s teaching to keep his word and act with compassion. He never had a mean word to say about his opponents, gracefully acknowledged defeat, and was respectful to all audiences, even those that shouted racial epithets and slurs. Arthur would often say, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can,” and he let his racket do the talking for him. He applied this thinking when he competed at Wimbledon in 1975 and faced a formidable younger challenger, Jimmy Connors. The lead-up to this event was filled with tension. Connors had filed a $5 million lawsuit against Arthur (then President of the Association of Tennis Professionals) for comments he made about Connors’ absence from the Davis Cup team. Yet Arthur maintained his professionalism and did not let it affect his game. “Arthur came prepared, though, after playing (and losing to) Connors three times before. He served strongly and hit softly. Connors had difficulty responding, and his frustration translated to a win for Ashe.” (Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA, Moving with Intention). After beating his opponent, Arthur shook Connors’ hand, raised his arms, and waved to the crowd. No grandstanding, no victory dance. He did what he could with what he had. Arthur used this same strategy when he played in the South African Open. Criticized by many in the African-American and Black South African community, he knew that his position as an international figure could help open a crack in the door of systemic racism in South Africa if black South Africans could see another black man move freely in the world. In the spirit of promoting sportsmanship and breaking the color barrier in tennis, he requested that tickets be open to anyone and that there be no segregated seating in the audience. At one point, the black fans were so enthusiastic that Arthur had to ask them to quiet down and stop cheering his opponent's mistakes. Because of his actions, he is credited with helping bring greater awareness of racial discrimination in South Africa.
In 1992, despite his declining health due to AIDS, Arthur participated in a protest against the Bush administration policy that was intercepting and blocking Haitian refugees who were applying for asylum in the U.S. Arthur was arrested in Washington, DC, during the protest. He wrote, “I have not allowed either my illnesses or my desire to enjoy the comforts of home and family to put a stop to my involvement in politics,” and “For months, I had been outraged by our national policy toward political refugees from Haiti. Vessels of the U.S. Coast Guard, acting on instructions, were intercepting boats carrying refugees from Haiti and returning those people to Haiti without a hearing. According to U.S. law, all were entitled to a hearing, and this step was routinely denied to them. Meanwhile,...newspapers regularly published photographs of Cuban refugees beaming in triumph on the decks of refugee boats. I was certain that race was a major factor in this double standard.” (Days of Grace, pg. 294-95) When arrested, Arthur was wearing a shirt that read “Haitians: Locked Out Because They Are Black.” Again, Arthur started where he was, used what he had, and did what he could.
Learning and Leadership Activities
Roadmap for Change
Arthur used his position in life to advocate for marginalized communities. His actions both on and off the court reflect a moral compass that points to treating everyone with respect and dignity and keeping cool, even when those around you are not. As a group, use these questions to hold a discussion and map ideas for making positive changes in your community:
What can you learn from Arthur’s example about the impact you can have in making positive changes in your community?
What issues in our community need to change?
How can we help make positive change to address these issues in our community?
Select one issue that you would like to become the focus of your attention. Create a road map showing where and how the issue looks today and what the journey might include as stops along the way to your destination. The destination may be clear or fuzzy, but it should show what you want to see as a result of your actions to create positive change. Work with others who have similar interests and reach out to allies in your family/community who can mentor you in this process. When you have finished, reflect on Arthur’s words: How can you start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can?
Integrity Tracker
Over a week or a few days, track the moments that you chose integrity, made a difficult decision, or had the chance to – but didn’t. At the end of the time, reflect on what made those moments hard or meaningful and discuss with your group. Some questions to guide your discussion include:
Which moment this week stands out the most to you? Why?
What made it easy or hard to choose integrity in that situation?
Did you ever not act with integrity? What held you back?
How did you feel after making a choice that aligned with your values?
Was there a time you surprised yourself – with courage, honesty, or restraint?
What will you do differently next week? How will you allow the process of growing your integrity to be a part of your daily awareness and not just an exercise you did for a few days and forgotten? Write these ideas down in a place that you will look back and reflect on your progress.
What Would You Do? Video/Podcast
Create a short video or podcast exploring a real or fictional integrity dilemma. You can dramatize the dilemma by having others play key roles. For example, say your city has just made it a crime to be unhoused. You might have someone play a city official explaining the new law. You could have another person play a neighbor who, although worried for the unhoused, just wants them to move along or be placed in jail. You could also have a family who has been unhoused for a month and lives out of their car. The video or podcast could be available for different audiences in the community. Talk about why the issue is important and why considering multiple perspectives and applying empathy are key to finding solutions to issues.
Integrity Quote Gallery
Research how local/national/global organizations use their platforms to show up with integrity as they address critical challenges in society. Share your findings on a poster or series of posters. Once posted, create a gallery exhibition and view the posters. What are you noticing about how these organizations demonstrate integrity? Give feedback on the posters using an icon system with specific meanings. For example, they could draw a star next to something that strongly resonates with you; a question mark for something you want to know more about; a lightbulb next to something you think is a great idea.
Discuss the salient characteristics of the behaviors of these organizations.
Next, create your own personal Code of Integrity – a personal set of values and rules you will strive to live by in all aspects of life (e.g., school, home, public, future self, online presence, etc.).
Finally, reflect on this quote from Arthur, “You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself – your own highest standards.” What does this quote mean to you? What does it inspire you to do?