Although NBA All Star and New Orleans Pelican, Jrue Holiday, has been a long-time Thorne customer, Jrue became a Thorne Ambassador in 2018. He has become more than a partner, he’s an extension of the Thorne brand and mission to help individuals make the most of their health and wellbeing.

As an athlete, Jrue Holiday has always gone above and beyond for his teammates, and being an advocate and voice for social change is no different. 

In mid-July, Jrue pledged the remainder of his 2020 NBA salary, totaling more than $5 million, to create the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Fund. The Fund’s mission is to empower communities – by boldly creating change where it’s needed most – and to directly support Black-led non-profit organizations and programs. Inspiration can come from many different places – for Jrue and Lauren, “Our inspiration was to help others, and now is the time to come together and help others if you have the resources!”

Highlighting the Black Lives Matter Movement

The NBA season’s restart is a hot topic, not only due to COVID, but also because it pulls attention away from what athletes in the NBA have been doing with their platform and voice for social justice.

When asked about the season restarting, Jrue said, “I was skeptical about starting back so soon, but we have a platform like no other, being on the national stage and [the NBA being] the first professional league back playing.”

We’ve already seen some of the ways the NBA is keeping the focus on the social inequalities Black people face on a daily basis in America. The organization is allowing players to use phrases that highlight social injustices in place of their last names on their jerseys, and each playing court has a Black Lives Matter insignia placed prominently above mid court.

Leveraging a Platform

Jrue isn't letting the restart take away from his plans for change, he’s using it to amplify his message. With masks being mandatory within the “NBA Bubble,” masks have become a staple of every player’s outfit.

This is why Jrue believes a mask on a person’s face is the best place to make a statement: “I thought masks would be cool because that’s the first thing you see when you look at someone now.”

To keep the spotlight where it belongs, Jrue will wear a custom Thorne x Jrue Holiday mask that features a different phrase that not only speaks to Jrue, but also to the mission of the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Fund. Some of the masks featured will read, “SAY THEIR NAMES,” “GOOD TROUBLE,” “GRATEFUL,” and “AM I NEXT?”

Why Thorne?

Because actions speak so much louder than words, Thorne wants to do more than just post on Instagram when it comes to our stance on social justice. And while apparel and accessories aren’t what Thorne specializes in, when Jrue came to Thorne with the opportunity for this collaboration, there wasn’t a single moment of hesitation. We want to help any way we can.

In addition to an initial donation to the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Fund, Thorne will donate 100% of the proceeds from the masks to the fund as well.

When asked why he chose Thorne for this initiative, Jrue said, “I chose Thorne because I love their company and products, and I felt we could really make a strong statement together. Thorne helps keep my body healthy with their awesome products. I felt masks were another way to keep people safe and healthy, so it’s the perfect fit.”

Thorne x Jrue Holiday masks are available to purchase exclusively on Thorne.com. You can purchase a mask and learn more about the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Fund here. 

3 face masks