Decatur Central's Diallo aims to make a huge difference

There is a phrase that states, “children should be seen and not heard.” Thankfully for Indiana, Decatur Central’s Chaikou Diallo ignored the phrase. At 16, the wide receiver/defensive back ignored his own fears and decided the time had come to get vocal about issues he deemed important in the wake of the George Floyd death by creating an initiative dear to his heart. “I came up with the idea a couple of days after the George Floyd incident. I felt like I needed to say something about it, but since I’m only 16, I might not be listened to or taken serious by adults. So I contacted a group of friends and told them my idea and they all loved it and were on board. I’ve felt this way for a while now, but I never spoke out about it,” Diallo told Sideline Prep Sports Report. As an African-American three-sport athlete, Diallo admits he has not been the victim of discrimination, but that isn’t stopping him. “Growing up in Decatur, everyone is friendly to each other for the most part, and I am grateful for that,” he said. He said the response has been “overwhelming,” and wants to be clear that the group is open to anyone. “I have been surprised by the reaction it’s gotten. I didn’t expect that many people to reach out to me, but I am glad they did. If others want to get involved, they can contact me on Twitter. I make sure to respond to everyone I can. The group is open for anyone to join, not just African-Americans. We want a diverse group to show that racism and social injustices can be fought by everyone, not just black people,” Diallo said. And that response includes his teammates and coaches. “Everyone is 100 percent on board, as well. Coach Enright, Coach Ashworth and Coach Tate are willing to help me with whatever I need. And a few of my teammates are in the group as well,” he said. The group is looking to make quite an impact in Indianapolis and there have been talks of a GoFundMe account being set up to help African-American businesses that have been impacted by recent violent protests. “I am hoping that we are able to make a change in our community and in Indianapolis, as a whole, when it comes to us showing each other more love and respect no matter our skin color,” Diallo said. The rising junior told Sideline Prep Sports Report, that it is his hope to help less fortunate kids and families. “So, the group and I are brainstorming ideas for that as well. I’ve been given the opportunity to be a part of another group who holds community event forums for the less fortunate kids around the Indianapolis area,” Diallo said. And, even though he is 16, Diallo is already thinking about his legacy and the impact he will leave behind. “It’s really important to have this conversation because I know that even though we are the youth, we are the ones who are going to be leading one day in the future, so we need to start young so we’re prepared when the time comes,” Diallo told Sideline Prep Sports Report.