JoJo Townsell's Reflections on Civil Rights

Jan 07, 2021

PFRPA

JoJo Townsell shared his thoughts on civil rights in the statement below.

I hope everyone becomes educated about the importance of voting. Your community can improve locally and nationally by staying informed of the things that may improve your life and your community. The right to vote is a way of demonstrating that you are willing to fight for your rights. I did not learn this until I was 25 years old. It’s important that we all understand how we may impact our communities.

Change has never come over night. One must be consistent with one’s efforts. Just like an NFL player, you practice to improve your performance. A citizen has the opportunity to attend county and city community meetings each month. These meetings provide public comment. This is a great way to access your equal opportunity rights. Protest on the street is ONLY the beginning. It is our civic duty to question and ensure our community is being represented fairly.

Working in my community has helped me understand that I am more than just an NFL player. I am someone who shares my experiences of how I became an NFL Player. It is important that we share our achievements with others. When we do this, it inspires others to do the same. Our organization, Me for Incredible Youth (MEFIYI), was started to assist youth and teens to explore their talents and ambitions. The more positive experiences we can achieve and share together help us to become an educated, motivated and productive community.

In discussions with our younger generation, we need to ask and encourage them to learn how they can become future leaders of the community. The quality of a community comes from how much its citizens want to protect, serve and thrive. Our teens are citizens, and they are our future. Their voices matter. They need to know how to utilize their voice beginning in middle school. Combining the voice, effort and action, history has shown, can make a difference.

For information about civil rights organizations, visit https://bit.ly/2YdcnOL.