Emanuel Neto: An Athlete Making a Difference

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Emanuel Neto./ Photo courtesy of Emanuel Neto.

By Chris Monahan

Growing up in Angola, Emanuel Neto can remember the gruesome images that had him and his family living in fear. The fear that one day a soldier might force you to cook and eat your own child. It’s these experiences that cause Neto to appreciate the very air he breathes.

Neto, a 23 year-old senior at Stony Brook University, has lived a life wildly different from most college students, and has seen things that most Americans can not even begin to imagine. His upbringing has made him sensitive towards the war and genocide in Darfur, a situation that a lot of Americans fail to recognize.

"People will only pay attention when something happens and it involves the integrity of American values," says Neto. "Not enough is done to raise awareness about what is going on." Neto’s mother had a vision of her child one day studying in the states, playing basketball and using his image to help people. Neto has used his image as a college athlete and member of the Angolan National Basketball team to help raise such awareness.

He is a member of Team Darfur, a coalition of athletes dedicated to helping bring an end to the crisis in Darfur. In the months leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Neto and his fellow athletes wanted to make people aware of how countries - China included - were doing nothing to stop the slaughter in Darfur. Neto, was invited to live out one of his dreams and participate in the games for his native Angola, but still realized the importance of the crisis. "I know I can speak out and make someone’s life better," said Neto.

In April of 2008, Neto and other members of Team Darfur traveled to San Franciso to join a protest along the route where the Olympic torch would be carried. Neto remembers vividly how protestors rushed the bus that held the torch carriers and how they laid themselves on the ground, just inches from the bus tires. "It was crazy, just really, really crazy," Neto said. "They were willing to die." Neto loved the trip, especially being able to stand in front of a crowd of thousands of people and speak about something he believed strongly in. However, there were consequences that he didn’t anticipate.

"When it comes to the red, black and yellow, I’m the man," said Neto when talking about the immense sense of pride he gets from representing his home country in the sport of basketball. Neto was very excited for the chance to play in the Olympics and spent the spring and summer months working out in preparation. However, Neto was beginning to worry why he hadn’t heard back from anyone in Angola. "I couldn’t get any answers. I called and called and sent emails," he said. "I knew by then something was wrong."

Neto eventually learned from a friend in Angola that he would not be able to play for his team because he had been banned from China. The Chinese government had gotten word of Neto’s involvement with team Darfur and the protest in San Francisco and decided they did not want him to play in the Beijing games. Although he was disappointed, Neto wasn’t regretful. "As much as it sucks, as bad as I wanted to be there, if you asked me to do it again, I would very likely do it again," Neto said. He was never for boycotting the Olympics, but he wasn’t about to stop expressing how he felt.

After what Neto has experienced, he has come to cherish everything he has. He enjoys all the little things that any American would enjoy, but is quick to realize how he doesn’t have it nearly as bad as most others. The feeling he gets from just getting out there and standing up for something, is a feeling he loves. "What you get from it is so much more rewarding than a good pair of Abercrombie and Fitch pants," explains Neto. "It’s even more rewarding than getting an A in a stats class." Neto describes how the guy who threw the awesome party last week will eventually be forgotten, but the guy who stood up for others is the one who’s really making a difference.

"There’s a lot of shit that goes on the world," says Neto. "I wish I was superman and could change a lot of the stuff but I can’t. I can only do as much as my hands can reach, and that’s exactly what I do. When it comes to helping others, I’m never going to say no, never ever."