Basketball star Michael Jordan has written a one-page letter to sports website The Undefeated, stating that he will not remain silent any longer on issues of racial injustice and conflicts between metropolitan police officers and members of the African American community.

In the message, Jordan writes that he is "deeply troubled" by the deaths of these American citizens "at the hands of law enforcement," and also calls the "hateful targeting and killing" of police officers "cowardly."

"I was raised by parents who taught me to love and respect people regardless of their race or background, so I am saddened and frustrated by the divisive rhetoric and racial tensions that seem to be getting worse as of late," he writes. "I know this country is better than that, and I can no longer stay silent."

As USA Today points out, Jordan decided to make his thoughts public two weeks ago, but decided to delay his announcement when the NBA announced the All-Star Game would be leaving North Carolina because of the state's controversial and discriminatory bathroom bill.

Stating that he has "decided to speak out in the hope that we can come together as Americans," Jordan is making donations of $1 million each to two nonprofit groups, the Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

The Institute for Community-Police Relations is a newly established organization by the International Association of Chiefs of Police that aims to build better bridges between law enforcement and members of the communities they police. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which has a similar goal, also provides legal assistance to African Americans facing civil rights issues.

"Although I know these contributions alone are not enough to solve the problem, I hope the resources will help both organizations make a positive difference," Jordan adds. "If we all work together, we can foster greater understanding, positive change and create a more peaceful world for ourselves, our children, our families and our communities."

Alyssa Pereira is a staff writer for SFGATE. Follow her here on Twitter.