Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player, hosted and met the parents of Matthew Shepard last night.
I'm so fortunate to have met Matthew Shepard's parents and brother tonight after @BrooklynNets win tonight in Denver pic.twitter.com/PL6k4TvDsW
— Jason Collins (@jasoncollins34) February 28, 2014
President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law on October 28th, 2009. The bill expanded federal hate-crime laws to include crimes motivated by gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
Collins wore the number 98 on his jersey last night to honor Matthew Shepard who was brutally tortured and killed in 1998 because he was gay.
James Byrd, Jr. was also tortured and murdered by white supremacists in 1998.