Kelvin Beachum, the Arizona Cardinals’ starting right tackle in 2020, will be entering free agency in a month. However, he is not talking about football right now.
He has been active socially, speaking about racial justice and more.
He chose to honor Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was shot and killed last March by police in Louisville after they forcibly entered her apartment, this past season, wearing her name on the back of his helmet all year.
He appeared on NFL Network’s “NFL Total Access Say Their Stories” and discussed why he honored her, what he continues to fight for and what he has done for Black History Month.
“For me, it’s the simple things in life,” he said, explaining why he wore her name on his helmet. “She was literally in her room in her house sleeping and the fact that she had bullets flying in her house and the fact that we still have no justice and we still have no accountability for the people who actually fired their weapons into her home.”
However, he speaks out for more than just Taylor. He is fighting for the advancement of Black women in general in this country.
“We have to acknowledge that Black women have not been treated properly in America,” he said. “Black women have been marginalized since Black women have been brought to this country. I think that, first and foremost, we have to say that is reality.”
He also wants “to bring awareness to the fact that we actually have Black women that are doing some amazing things in society.”
That said, be feels more has to be done.
“We need Black women to be a part of the fabric of America in every walk of life,” he continued. “We need more Black women represented to make sure that our Black women are treated the right way, protected in the right way and given the equity that is needed to be successful in our society right now.”
On his Twitter account, he has made it a point to honor and recognize great Black women and their accomplishments. He has highlighted one each day so far this month and will continue to do so the rest of the month.
Whether or not you agree with everything he is championing, what he is saying and doing is good and promotes a better America.
Check out the women he has profiled so far this month.