LOS ANGELES -- In a powerful follow-up to earlier pledges of eliminating racial injustice in America, Dodgers players on Thursday released a video to underscore their commitment to make a difference in their home city of Los Angeles.

Clayton Kershaw, the three-time National League Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP who recently put out a statement in support of Black Lives Matter, bookended the message. The video features nine additional players -- 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, Enrique Hernández, Gavin Lux, Joc Pederson, A.J. Pollock, Ross Stripling, Justin Turner and Alex Wood.

¡°For centuries, the Black community has lived in a different America. Instead of addressing racism, inequality and injustice, many of us simply look away,¡± said Kershaw. ¡°Silence is no longer an option. I¡¯m fighting for my teammates, their families and their communities. That¡¯s why we must unapologetically say that Black Lives Matter.¡±

? Download Dodgers players' video about social justice

Wood¡¯s words touched on the ¡°school-to-prison pipeline¡± that robs Black children of opportunities. Lux and Pollock struck at the myth that racism is a thing of the past. Turner challenged America to ¡°look in the mirror.¡± Hern¨¢ndez and Pederson vowed to be ¡°part of the solution.¡± Stripling said the players will support those ¡°fighting for resources that the Black community deserves.¡± Buehler challenged those who ¡°look away just because it¡¯s uncomfortable.¡± Bellinger said that loving America means admitting it's ¡°not the same for us all.¡±

The players will match funds raised from the ¡°In This Together¡± special edition T-shirts benefitting the California Funders for Boys & Men of Color Southern California: Our Kids, Our Future Fund (CFBMoC). During the team workout Thursday, Dodger players raised awareness for these organizations by wearing the ¡°In This Together¡± T-shirts, which are available for purchase for a limited time at Dodgers.com/Together.

Earlier this week, Kershaw, Pederson, Stripling and Turner joined the inspirational leaders of the Brotherhood Crusade; Children¡¯s Defense Fund of California; Brothers, Sons, Selves Coalition; and the Community Coalition -- four of 13 organizations in the CFBMoC.

The organizations shared the history of racial and social inequities in Los Angeles and how their respective organizations have been working for decades to tackle systemic change. The players engaged in open and honest dialogue about how they want to use their platforms and resources to support and amplify this important work and be allies for the Black community.

This listening session was intended to be the start of many conversations between these leaders and the players, who learned their voices can truly make a difference. Together with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, the players will continue to use their platforms, keeping the invitation open for teammates to join in future opportunities.

¡°I¡¯m proud of them,¡± said manager Dave Roberts, the franchise¡¯s first African-American manager. ¡°I think Clayton and some other guys spearheaded this. They¡¯re very intentional; they¡¯re changing. So for them to not only talk the talk but walk the walk and lead by their actions, it¡¯s great.¡±