Angel Reese Honors Jane Goodall: “She Gave Me Strength to Fight for Women and Children”
When news broke that Dr. Jane Goodall had passed away at the age of 91 in Los Angeles, the world paused to remember one of the most influential figures in science and conservation. Among the many tributes pouring in, one voice stood out for its raw emotion and generational resonance: Angel Reese, the 22-year-old WNBA star who has rapidly become not only a force on the court but also a voice for social change.
“She was a woman who dared to speak, dared to act, and dared to fight for what she believed was right,” Reese said in a heartfelt statement. “Her courage gives me strength to continue fighting for the rights of women and children here in America. The world lost a giant, but her spirit lives on in every act of resistance and every step forward.”
For Reese, known as the “Bayou Barbie” but also as one of the most outspoken athletes of her generation, the passing of Goodall is more than the loss of a scientific icon. It is the departure of a role model who embodied fearless advocacy and lifelong commitment to justice—not just for animals, but for humanity itself. Reese’s words resonated far beyond basketball, touching on themes of empowerment, activism, and the responsibility of the next generation to carry the torch.
Dr. Jane Goodall’s legacy is impossible to overstate. Beginning her groundbreaking research in the forests of Tanzania in 1960, she challenged long-held assumptions about the animal kingdom. Her discovery that chimpanzees use tools, express complex emotions, and maintain deep social bonds revolutionized the way scientists understood primates—and forced humans to confront uncomfortable truths about their own place in the natural world. She reminded us, time and again, that humans are not separate from nature but a part of it.
Yet Goodall’s influence stretched far beyond academia. Through the Jane Goodall Institute and her Roots & Shoots program, she engaged directly with young people across the globe, instilling in them a sense of responsibility toward animals, the environment, and one another. Her tireless advocacy for conservation, climate action, and sustainable living became a blueprint for how science could move from the lab into the realm of everyday activism. For many young leaders—athletes, artists, and activists alike—her voice became a beacon of hope.
That is what Angel Reese was responding to. In her tribute, she drew a straight line between Goodall’s courage and her own fight to uplift marginalized voices in America. Reese, who has faced criticism for her outspoken nature, has consistently argued that women—especially women of color in sports—deserve not only equal respect but also the freedom to lead, challenge, and inspire. In Jane Goodall, she sees not just a scientist, but a kindred spirit who understood that change requires defiance.
Tributes from world leaders, scientists, and celebrities continue to flood social media, but Reese’s words cut through with unusual clarity. They speak to the cross-generational impact of Goodall’s life: a young basketball star in 2025 drawing strength from a scientist who began her work more than six decades earlier. It is a reminder that inspiration is not confined to any single field or era—it ripples outward, touching lives in ways both expected and unforeseen.
As the world mourns, the challenge remains to live up to Goodall’s example. She once said, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” For Angel Reese, and countless others, that difference now lies in continuing to fight—for justice, for equality, for the planet itself. In that fight, Goodall’s spirit endures.
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