Ballin’ for Big Structural Change

Aren G
Aren G
Nov 2 · Unlisted

I started watching HBO’s Ballers because of Elizabeth Warren.

I am not a football fan. Prior to 2017, I am not sure I had ever seen a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson movie. Yet when Senator Warren appeared in 2017 on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, I became curious. Like us, Elizabeth Warren relaxes at the end of the day by watching TV. Much to Sam Bee’s comical amazement, Elizabeth explained that she watches Ballers because “it’s a story about hard work, it’s a story about perseverance, it’s a story about having to reach inside yourself and find something you are not 100% sure is there.”

Senator Warren was right. I caught up and then eagerly awaited each additional season. This most recent season was my favorite. (Spoiler Alert!)

This season of Ballers opened with Spencer Strasmore reading “This Fight Is Our Fight” by Elizabeth Warren

This year Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s character, Spencer Strasmore, a former football player and financial advisor, becomes a football team owner. Spencer isn’t in the business for the obvious (financial) reasons. He is a “player’s owner.” By the end of the season, he has successfully made the other NFL team owners agree to provide lifetime healthcare to the players and former players.

When Senator Warren provided her Medicare for All plan it, like Ballers, did not disappoint. Not only do our modern gladiators — football players and other athletes, military veterans — deserve healthcare as a right; all Americans do. Strasmore made the NFL owners prioritize people over profits, and the American government needs to stop protecting the profits of insurance and drug companies and start providing affordable and accessible healthcare for all.

Choosing my “Hallowarren” costume this year was easy. A Warren Administration promises Big Structural Change and requires all of us in the grassroots movement to dream big and fight hard for the promise of American democracy. The best way I could capture some of that spirit was by dressing up as one of Elizabeth Warren’s favorite characters. As Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Spencer Strasmore, I was dreaming big, fighting hard and ballin’ with Elizabeth Warren for Big Structural Change this Hallowarren.

Aren as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The shirt reads “Big Structural Change Baller.” Photo by Daniel Lehrhaupt

Unlisted

Aren G

Written by

Aren G

Volunteer Co-Leader of New York City for Warren, #TeamWarren, @nyc4Warren

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