Cam Newton views his 7-on-7 foundation and community work as a commitment to empower and represent those in his culture.

“My purpose is to empower and and impact people. And the people in my community look like this. So, if they tune in to pivot, they can see a figure who looks like them, who has the same cultural values as them.”

Najee Harris believes that giving back to the community is an essential obligation and a sign of respect for his upbringing.

“for me to turn my back on them or me just get to a certain point and just forget about all them you know that's I think that's the utmost disrespectful thing probably you know what I mean so any way possible any way I could do to give back to people”

Athletes have a responsibility and a powerful voice to stand with their community, especially during times of tragedy.

“Was one, do I have a voice? And is my voice loud enough to be heard? And the answer was yes immediately because the Buffalo Bills is a huge part of the community.”

Hosting community events is important to provide light and inspiration to children living in areas affected by social hardship.

“I just wanted to uh get the kids opportunity to come out and see some celebrities and see some light because there's so much darkness in Philadelphia. I just want the kids to see some light and understand that anybody you're looking at out here and you admire and you look up to, you could be that pe”

Citizens must actively participate in the democratic process and use their power to vote as a national referendum against current political chaos.

“The greatest power we all have as Americans is the power to vote. And I do think people need to turn out. I I think it needs to be a national referendum. Don't don't just turn out if you're in a swing district or a swing state like mine. Turn out and send a clear message”

Historical narrative is a vital tool for communicating with a general audience and should not be avoided by historians.

“And I never understood why you couldn't have a narrative structure that that in fact privileged people who weren't powerful and wealthy.”

Historians should engage with the public, and it is crucial for academics to distill complex information in a smart, accessible way.

“The fact of the matter is you have to distill things in a really smart way to engage with anybody but particularly to engage with folks who don't spend all their time wandering around with a bunch of other historians with the conversation right in front of their faces.”