Cleveland Browns Usama Young says he was not classified as rich growing up, but what his parents gave him is probably worth more than what riches could buy – they gave him the spirit of giving back.
At an early age in Washington, DC, Young would help feed the homeless and worked in the kitchens serving hot meals during the holidays. Young still enjoys helping and surprisingly teaching is what he calls “his true calling.” That calling is what led the Super Bowl XLIV Champion with the New Orleans Saints to start his own foundation – the Usama Young Youth Foundation.
Young really likes working with kids and seeing the kids in his hometown “hanging on the corner doing nothing” was not going to suffice. Part of Young’s Foundation is Afterschool Enrichment Programs.
“If they like drawing, they can draw. If they like basketball, they can get on the court. If they like football, they can go play football. If they play an instrument — whatever, I didn’t want to leave anybody out of it. If its kids with learning disabilities, they can get extra tutoring. It’s not yet there, but it’s starting up. That’s what got me to this point, I just said, ‘let’s get rid of this inactivity.’” (Kent State Sports)
Since Young was already traveling to schools and talking to students, he formally named it Chalk Talk. Adding his football camp was another way for him to interact personally with the kids. The camps and the talks focus on how to set goals, make the right decisions, and how it can affect their outcome.
Young is also helping change those outcomes by hosting college tours. So far the tours have hit Dillard University, University of New Orleans, Towson State University, and Morgan State.
Obviously Young’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. He was named Ambassador of Prince George’s Goes to College Week just this past April (2011).
Young was once asked in an interview why making himself accessible to people is so important to him.
“I am the same as you. Just because I play football doesn’t mean that I can’t pick up the phone and I can’t talk to you. As a child, I knew I could talk to so many of the people that I was close to. I’ve never been around many people that are, what should I say, stuck up. You have that thought when you think of an athlete or a movie star that they’re not going to be down to earth. I just try to go totally opposite of that. I try to talk to people the way I would want them to talk to me. As an athlete, I don’t want everyone to have that outlook on athletes like you can’t talk to them. I just try to be as accessible as possible.” (Gazette.net)
From a Redskins hot dog vendor, to Super Bowl Champion, to Ambassador for a week, Young has all the fixings of leaving a positive mark on and off the field.
For more on Usama’s Foundation: www.usamayoung28.com
Photo: Usama at 8th Annual Project Sunshine Benefit, by Ben Gabbe, www.bfanyc.com – (direct link) http://www.bfanyc.com/home/photo/123652
Sources/Quotes: www.usamayoung28.com, www.kentstatesports.com, www.gazette.net
