Though several NFL stars have made their thoughts known on issues including race, equality, and social justice, few have been as active as New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins. It hasn't only been the sports world that has taken notice of Jenkins' ideas on the matter, and one major news outlet wants to provide the 32-year-old with another platform through which he can reach a large audience with his important opinions and teachings.
Monday morning, CNN executives informed the rest of the staff that Jenkins would be hired as a contributor to speak on race, social justice and more (via Brian Steinberg of Variety). Jenkins said in a statement that it's important to educate the public "now more than ever" given the status of our nation and the fact that it's an "important election year." Additionally, Jenkins referred to his extensive history as an active participant in the reform of educational systems and criminal justice systems due to his role in running non-profits and assisting other organizations (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk).
One of his main efforts, the Malcolm Jenkins Foundation, was founded in 2010 to "effectuate positive change in the lives of youth, particularly those in underserved communities." Seven years later, Jenkins and wide receiver Anquan Boldin founded the Players Coalition, which has been very active in providing athletes with their deserved rights. Recently, the organization put together and sent a petition to Congress to end qualified immunity.
Another one of the many topics that Jenkins has addressed is the NFL's treatment of Colin Kaepernick, who has not played for an NFL team since the 2016 season.
Additionally, Jenkins has spoken on police violence, including as part of a speech that Jenkins gave to the 2020 graduating class of the Philadelphia School District, he's touched on NFL players kneeling and directly confronted his teammate, Drew Brees, for his comments, and he's expressed concern over how the black community is being treated during the coronavirus pandemic.
Now entering his 12th season in the NFL, the three-time Pro Bowler will continue to be a personality that transcends the world of sports and aims to make the world a fairer, more tolerant place.
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