First-of-its-kind youth event with NFL helps students learn to become changemakers

The 2023 Super Bowl brought much more than football to the Valley. More than 30 charitable activities and community outreach events enlivened and enriched the community in the weeks leading up to the game, promising to leave enduring legacies long after the game was played in Glendale.

Included in those activities and events was ASU’s Black Changemaker Speaker Series: Youth Town Hall. Nearly 100 middle school students and their families were welcomed to ASU’s West campus for an evening of motivation, empowerment and sports activities presented by Access ASU and Sun Devil Athletics, in partnership with the NFL.

The event featured a lively panel discussion and keynote. Headlining was NFL history-maker Collette V. Smith, the first woman to join the coaching staff of the New York Jets in franchise history. She was also the NFL’s first African American female coach. She appeared alongside Usama Young, an NFL veteran, Super Bowl 44 champion and philanthropist. Young is the NFL social justice liaison working with the league’s player engagement department to serve and educate current players, legends and their families.