THE streets where United States women’s volleyball stalwart Jordan Thompson once knew as a kid looked different that day.
The sidewalks where she used to walk with friends. The roads where she rode her bike growing up in Minnesota. The neighborhoods she had always called home.
They had become the backdrop of a protest.
Around her were immigrants fearing for their families, community members demanding answers and demonstrators rallying against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that had shaken parts of the state.
Then, amid the chants and growing tension, a flashbang exploded nearby.
For a split second, the noise cut through everything. But for Thompson, the moment only amplified what she already felt.
Team USA’s ever-outspoken captain was not standing there as an Olympic gold medalist, a two-time Volleyball Nations League champion, or one of the most recognizable names in the sport.
She was standing there as a Minnesotan, and as someone who believed staying silent was no longer an option.
"I think being an athlete and having a platform, it's incredibly important to use my voice. I feel called to speak for those who don't have a voice or who may be afraid to speak up," Thompson told SPIN.ph.
The 29-year-old opposite hitter has spent much of her adult life in packed arenas around the world. She has represented the United States on the sport's biggest stages, won Olympic gold, captured multiple VNL titles, and established herself as one of the faces of American volleyball.
Yet some of the most important moments in her life have happened away from the court.
Last year, Thompson emerged as one of the most prominent athletic voices condemning ICE operations in Minnesota. During a visit home, she attended a protest and later revealed that a flashbang had been thrown near her amid the demonstrations.
The incident made headlines, but what lingered with Thompson, however, was something deeper — the fear she witnessed, the uncertainty she heard from families and the realization that the people affected were not strangers.
They were her neighbors.
"I really want to fight for positive change in this world. There's a lot going on, whether in the United States or around the world, and it's important for me to be able to speak on issues that I believe are truly important," she said.
For Thompson, Minnesota is more than a hometown as it is where she learned the values that would later shape her career. It is where she developed into a standout athlete.
It is where she first understood community, which is why watching the state become a focal point in America's ongoing conversations surrounding race, immigration, and social justice has been particularly painful.
"It's devastating to see what's happening in Minnesota. I grew up there. I'm seeing things happen on the very streets where I used to bike, walk around, and play with my friends," she said.
"It's heartbreaking, and I really feel for my community there, for the immigrant community, for people of color, and for those who are being wrongfully silenced."
Jordan's familiar plight
The comments are emblematic of a role Thompson has embraced throughout her career.
Long before athlete activism became a mainstream conversation, she had already begun speaking on issues affecting Black communities and other marginalized groups.
In doing so, she has repeatedly confronted a criticism familiar to athletes around the world, from being asked to stay in her lane, stick to sports and focus on volleyball.
The message is not unique to the United States as in the Philippines, athletes who challenge institutions, criticize leadership, or publicly discuss political and social issues are often met with similar resistance. Many are expected to entertain, compete and remain silent.
Thompson rejects that premise entirely.
Asked how she responds to those who believe athletes should simply play their sport and avoid broader issues, her answer reflected the philosophy that has guided her activism.
"I'm an athlete, but I'm a human being first, and I think that's where it all begins," she said.
"If I can use the platform that volleyball has given me to speak up for change, then I think that's the best way to use my voice. I never want to look back on my life and say that I didn't speak up for what I knew was right."
The statement speaks to a broader shift in modern sports, where athletes increasingly recognize that visibility comes with influence and influence comes with responsibility.
For Thompson, that responsibility extends beyond nationality, beyond volleyball, and even beyond America.
"I am an athlete, but I know there are bigger things in this world, and I feel very grateful to be able to use my voice in that way," she said.
Perhaps that is why her message resonates in places far removed from Minnesota.
Whether in the United States, the Philippines, or elsewhere, the tension remains the same. Athletes are often celebrated for their courage in competition but criticized for showing courage in public discourse.
Thompson hopes that contradiction eventually disappears, but until then, she intends to keep speaking.
Even now, reminders of home travel with her wherever volleyball takes her.
"Like I said, I want to use my voice for what I know is right. Even today, just wearing this 'Minnesota Strong' band on my wrist reminds me that I'm standing with my community and with the people I care about," she said.
"I'm fighting for what's right in this world and for love."
Years from now, Jordan Thompson's volleyball legacy will already be secure with an Olympic gold medal on top of championships and victories she picked up along the way
But on that day in Minnesota, standing in the middle of a protest as a flashbang exploded nearby, Thompson demonstrated a different kind of leadership.
It was not the kind measured by trophies, but one measured by what a person chooses to stand for when remaining silent would be far easier.
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