Episode 3: Player Politics

Host Clifton Brown speaks with Ronnie Stanley, Torrey Smith, Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, and Traci Otey Blunt about how they interact with politics and how the political system has treated Black Americans.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
My godmother was born in nineteen fifteen and lived to
be ninety four years old before she died in two
thousand and nine. The last president she ever voted for
was Barack Obama. For me, that was symbolic. As a
young woman in Royal, Alabama during the nineteen forties, my

(00:23):
Aunt Lola faced unfriendly volunteers at the poles who administered
reading tests to her when she arrived to vote, questioning
her literacy and competency. They didn't want my godmother to
exercise her right as an American citizen. She found the
experience humiliating, yet the resistance she's face made her even

(00:43):
more determined to vote. She said to me, if they
were trying that hard to discourage me, then I knew
it must be important. Aunt Lola eventually moved to Watchington,
d C. And always believed than the importance of the
political process. I can't give Aunt Lola a ride to

(01:04):
the polls anymore, or take her to lunch afterward and
listen to her fascinating stories. But on November three, I'll
be thinking about her, and I'll definitely be voting. Welcome
to Black in the NFL. I'm your host. Clifton Brown.

(01:28):
Today's episode is Player Politics. In this episode, we will
talk about how black NFL players of passing present interact
with politics and how the political system has treated them
and their communities, particularly when it comes to voting. We'll
hear from four guests who are politically active, all pro

(01:49):
left tackle Ronnie Stanley, former Ravens wide receiver, Torrey Smith,
doctor Gloria Brown Marshall and author, playwright and professor at
College in Manhattan, and Tracy od Blunt, the NFL Senior
Vice president of Corporate Communications and leader of the NFL

(02:09):
Votes Initiative. Only sixty percent of eligible Americans voted in
twenty sixteen, and the NFL is challenging us to do
better in twenty twenty. For the first time in league history,
all NFL offices, NFLPA offices, and t facilities will be

(02:32):
closed on election Day to ensure that every member of
the NFL family has an opportunity to vote. More players
are making sure their vote counts. Super Bowl MVP Patrick
Mahomes shared an interesting story with his Kansas City Chiefs
teammates in August, explaining how his voter registration was mishandled

(02:52):
during the off season. Over this off season, everything happening,
I wanted to make sure I would register the vote.
I did everything the right way. I made sure to
fill out everything, fill out the whole paperwork exactly how
it said, went and melded in. And then yesterday before
this meeting, I wouldn't look to make sure I was
registered to vote. I looked and said I wasn't registered,

(03:12):
and they canceled it and didn't tell me. So that
just shows a little way of if I wasn't having
this meeting, I would have never noticed that I wasn't
the registered to vote. It's something that we believe that
as leaders in the community that we are, that we
all should be registered to vote. The election is only

(03:33):
days away. Both sides of the aisle are billing it
as the most important election in US history, and yet
more than one hundred million eligible Americans will not vote
this year. The NFL and AS players are taking more
action to combat voter suppression and apathy. Just listen to

(03:55):
former Ravens wide receiver Tory Smith, a player who interned
in politics early in his NFL career. When someone says
to you now, and I'm sure they do, you know,
I don't think my vote is that important. I'm not
sure if I want to vote. I'm not voting. It's
just one vote. How do you respond to that. I'm
offended by it, especially when it's a person of color

(04:17):
that feels that way. Because I actually went to Virginia
Library of History or Virginia Library. They had this history
record and they track and they actually traced my ancestors.
So my family on both sides comes from slavery. I'm
in Virginia and I was able to see that one
of my family members was recently free and they registered

(04:39):
to vote. Wow. And so the fact that they registered
to vote back then, when there were so many barriers.
There's pole taxes, you know, trying to force people who
were poor, who didn't have money to pay to vote,
for the opportunity to vote. They were literacy tests make
sure that an individual career. Well, you were just a slave,
you wet it was illegal for you to learn to read,

(05:01):
so we're gonna make you have to read to vote. Right.
There were so many barriers that were put in place.
And to know that again you hear you're taught at
your ancestors, that your ancestors that, and I actually see it.
It was like man, that's so disrespectful to everyone who
literally fought. People died. And I'm not even talking about

(05:22):
military right now, right you people have been fighting and
dying for America for a long time. People of color
have been fighting and dying for America for a long time,
but they haven't been treated the way they should. And
I know voting is key. Like looking at John Lewis.
John Lewis just passed away and he was a warrior,

(05:45):
a superhero during the time, so we could vote his life.
He just passed away, right, This isn't that long ago.
Even understanding the numbers and how the system work, like,
your vote matters, man, even if even if you don't care,
you have to vote. People fought forward and it does
matter numerically too. Even though we have this system with

(06:06):
the electoral College, your vote still matter. And as always,
if your vote didn't matter, people would not try to
take it away. We'll return to my conversation with Tory
later in this episode, but let's first look at the
history of blacks voting in this country. For that, we'll

(06:29):
go to a leading scholar on this issue, doctor Gloria
Brown Marshall. I wanted to start with your Gloria with this.
In your opinion, what are some of the key moments
in the history of voting rights that impact where we
are today. Well, in my book The Voting Rights War,

(06:51):
I start in the sixteen hundreds and go forward to
the present and not just look at cases, but the
people behind the cases, because I think it's so important
for us to understand that when you have a name
like Shelby County versus Holder, that we know that's Eric Holder,
the first US Attorney General of African descent. And so

(07:16):
when I look at the sixteen hundreds, I look at
the sixteen nineteen arrival of those twenty Africans into the
Virginia Colony. Why is that important? Because you had an
African family, that African family, Anthony and Mary Johnson, were landholders,
They had servants of their own, European and African servants

(07:36):
of their own, so they should have been able to
have a political voice, right but they were denied that,
And that then becomes the history of the country. Two
steps forward, one step back. We do everything we're supposed
to do to have a political voice, to have a vote,
and then the laws change to marginalize that political voice,
and many times you know, subject us to being traumatized

(08:01):
or sent out of the community, or even murdered. And
in this case, Mary Nathany Johnson had their land confiscated
and they had to leave the Virginia colony. Think about
what difference it would be if they would have stayed.
Think about the life trajectory of African Americans if they
would have been protected into the law to have a

(08:22):
voice in their own community. So, in this constant portion
poll has gone on for centuries regarding voter suppression. What
are some of the key examples of voter suppression that
you see most commonly existing today today? We see the
vestiges are remnants of what they did one hundred and

(08:43):
fifty years ago. And I just say this, this is
one hundredth anniversary of the nineteenth Amendment giving women the
right to vote, but it's also the hundred and fiftieth
anniversary of black men receiving the right to vote with
the fifteenth Amendment. And with that fifteenth Amendment, we had
black US senators, black US congressman, we had black men

(09:06):
in positions of state government. We had all of these
people participating politically. No women could vote at this time,
so you had white men and black men in political offices.
We don't know anything about that because of the backlash
of white militia Ku Klux Klan and other type of
terrorism and the law the US Supreme Court and other laws.

(09:26):
So by eighteen ninety we have the literacy tests, the
poll taxes, the Grandfather claus. Why is this important today
because in Florida we have men and women who have
served their time and because of a state law that
would prohibit them from voting based on felony disenfranchisement, they
lost their right to vote. That right was given back

(09:49):
to them by Florida law recently. And what did the
Conservatives do in the legislative body. They turned around and say, oh,
if you don't pay your fines, then can't vote. These
men and women have been making thirty cents a day
working in during their time of incarceration, and now they
have to pay these fines in order to get their

(10:10):
right to vote back. So that's another modern form of
the same poll tax that was started in eighteen ninety
that the twenty fourth Amendment was supposed to end in
nineteen sixty four. So you see there are modern versions
of the same things that were taking place before. These
are the ways in which voter suppression is a modern

(10:32):
day civil death. And that's why they used to call
it when the felny disenfranchisement is a civil death that
you don't have civil rights in your community, but they've
been in the making for over one hundred and fifty years.
How much concern or how much do you think voter
suppression could impact the upcoming election in November? There will

(10:54):
be millions of people who will not have their votes
counted or will be disenfranchised from casting a vote. And
once again, you have those same people with felony convictions
who are not able to vote. If you go to
the polling place and they say, oh, your name's been
purged because you have a felony conviction, how do you

(11:15):
prove you don't have a felony conviction? How would one
prove they do not have a felony conviction? I want
you to think about that, right, right, how do you prove? Seriously,
how would one prove they do not have a felony conviction?
And so they have things like an affidavit ballot or

(11:36):
provisional ballots, but normally they're not counted until the very
very very end and we know with mail in ballots
and all the confusion around what the White House has
caused and confusion around mail in ballots, that there's going
to be enough going on that by the time to
get to the provisional ballot or the affidavit ballot, somebody
has already been selected as president. Those are great examples.

(11:57):
Lead me to this question, which I'm sure you here
because I hear it a lot from both black and
white people who say I'm not going to vote. I
don't like either candidate. My one vote is not going
to make a difference. How do you respond to those people?
I have asked other people in voting rights advocacy the

(12:18):
same question, and I'll give you just a variety of
the responses I've received and what I've used as well.
I say that it's not a protest. To not vote
is actually a failure because you've decided to give your
vote to someone else. And I also say if your
vote didn't matter, they wouldn't try to suppress it and

(12:39):
take it away from you. Absolutely. The other concern I
have is if you don't like either candidate, run for office,
or say something to the candidates who are in office
so they can do a better job, and the voting
experience is not supposed to be a religious experience. That's
the reason why I wrote the book The Voting Rights War,
and my new book is She Took Justice. That speaks

(13:01):
to all the black women who fought to get that
right to vote and then continue to fight to make
their right as a citizen to vote a reality. So
I think about the ancestors, the people who gave their
lives and livelihoods for us to have the right to vote.
That's another argument that I make. And the last one
I make, but not least of course, is you're not

(13:21):
just voting for yourself, You're voting for your community. I mean,
we've been put in a very precarious condition that we
need to rely on each other and for people to
abstain and say I'm going to set this one out, well, brother, sister,
you cannot set this one out. You cannot play two
year old peekaboo games that you cover your eyes and
the world disappears. You are in this world. You're playing

(13:44):
a role, and if you don't play a role, then
you're going to get played. I love it. I love
those arguments. The Sisters is a podcast that focuses on
NFL players. Let me ask you this question, what suggestions
would you offer to athletes who want to use their
platform to impact political change. I am so glad that

(14:05):
the athletes are standing up to take a knee, and
I am so proud of them because they're young people.
I mean, people think of us, Oh they're an athlete,
and they look like these big, tough guys, but they're
they're in their twenties, I mean mean most of them,
and so they're trying to figure out the political landscape

(14:26):
as well. And for them to take on the protest
of any kind I know what their contracts, is taking
a risk. So I want to say, Gloria Jay Brown
Marshall is proud of you, and we represent a lot
of people who are proud of you and whatever they
can do, and if that means taking a knee, if

(14:48):
that means raising a fist, if that means saying something
in their communities, because not only are people of color
looking up to these athletes as role models of sorts,
but it is a platform. Who else gets a national
stage like that with millions of people watching them on
a weekly basis. Use that platform the way athletes have

(15:10):
used those platforms in the past, and I think of
Sereno Williams, you know, using that platform to get equal
pay for female tennis players. You can use that platforms
in ways that will not disrupt your livelihood altogether. And
I think Colin played his hand well. I think he
also paid a very high price, and the first always

(15:33):
really pay a high price. But I think there are
ways in which the NFL athletes can actually negotiate. If
they stand together as a community, their voice can be
heard with these owners as you see that happening. So
they need to stand up for one another. Don't leave
somebody out, you know, in the cold and turn your back,
because who's in the cold today will you'll be in

(15:55):
the cold tomorrow. And the other thing I think they
could do is in using their voice to protest, to
put the names of the people who have been killed,
like Breanna Taylor, like George Floyd where it's appropriate, and
they can to put those names out there so people
don't forget, because this country has a short attention span,

(16:18):
and if you don't remind people of the deaths that
are taking place on a regular basis, those that make
the media and those that don't, then people will forget
and they just want to be entertained, and they need
to know that this entertainment comes at a cost and
they have to be made uncomfortable. No justice, no peace,
and you can't give people the peace of saying you
can pretend this country is giving justice when it is not.

(16:41):
You've been brilliant as always, Gloria. I want to end
this by opening up the floor to you to talk
about any important point you want to leave our listeners
with that we may not have covered about politics and
also policing as well. Look at it this way. Even
in the eighteen hundreds, the black was enough to change
the outcome of an election. They knew that then. That's

(17:05):
why they came up with a poll tax and literacy
tests and grandfather clauses and all these things. They know
we have this political power, and so people need to
understand how powerful we are. I'm a very proud African
American and so many things happened to us that we
need to just tell our children to be proud African Americans,

(17:25):
and we don't say that enough. Sometimes we view ourselves
through the lens of the people who are trying to
make our lives miserable. We need to understand the power
we have, the power of our culture. Continue to read
books about how we fought to get this far. They
didn't hand us anything. We fought for this and we've

(17:46):
got to continue to fight. And the book I wrote,
She Took Justice, the Black Woman Law and Power, and
I wrote she Took Justice, and it starts with Queen
and Zinga, who was a warrior queen who negotiate a
peace treaty with the governor of Portugal in sixteen twenty two.

(18:06):
Black women are the most consistent voters. We have the
highest voting rate than any other group, higher than any
other group Black women do. And so when we come
together black men and black women in our community and
we make ourselves known and make ourselves strong and protect
one another, we can't be held back this election and

(18:30):
every election, not just the powerful four year presidential elections.
Where are we keeping our politicians to the grindstone, holding
them accountable, or we are letting them just get in
office and then we turn around and say they're just
going to do their jobs. They show up again when
it's signed for re election. We need to make sure
that we keep them on track. What do we want

(18:50):
from our politicians. Don't be a cheap political date. That's
what you said. Don't don't be a cheap date politically.
Don't give your stuff away, you know what I'm talking about.
Don't give us the whoy demand some things. Get dinner,
you know, yeah, movie something. Don't come out of this

(19:10):
with nothing at all, with a smile, you know, make
sure that you get something for that vote, and make
sure after you give them that vote, that you show
up and see what have you done from my community lately? Glory.
I appreciate your passion, your work. I know this has
been a lifelong journey and and fight for you, and

(19:33):
you know, I just appreciate people who are so dedicated
to what they do. You've brought definitely a different and
important perspective. Thank you so much, Best of luck to
all your endeavors. Know that your work is really appreciated. Well.
I stand tall and take a knee with Colin Kaepernick.
Thanks so much, Glory, You take care. Thank you. Our

(20:00):
next guest is Tory Smith, a former Ravens player who
made a vow that he would remain active in the
community once he'd retired. He is delivered on that promise
and more. His introduction to legendary Congressman A Logic Cummings,
while still an active player, fueled Smith's commitment to make indifference.

(20:25):
I know that you had back in twenty thirteen an
internship with Congressman A Logic Cummings, who really was a
legend not only in Baltimore but throughout the country. Can
you tell me how that internship affected you and what
had taught you about politics and the political system. I
mean that internship was huge. I remember we had just

(20:49):
won the Super Bowl, and to be completely honest, I
did the internship because it was my second off season,
but the first off season. You know, it took some adjusting.
Like I used to always having something to do, like
being on a school schedule or being something. I felt like, man,
I'm not learning, I'm not doing anything, But now I

(21:09):
want to learn what's going on in our society. We're
taught to vote, we're taught to, you know, to push
our legnsaries, but what did they really do. There was
an opportunity for me to go there and to learn
from one of the greatest men that I've had the
opportunity to be around, and one of the greatest leaders
that we've had to watch him the way he led
his group, and more importantly, to learn the value of

(21:32):
a team. That was really the biggest thing. You know,
the politicians are the space for their team. Are the
only as strong as your team, just like it is
in so many other companies and corporations as well. It
was pretty cool to see that and take phone calls
and letters from people who were in help and who
needed help, and they were able to be a voice

(21:55):
of reason for people who didn't want to listen to
those people, and they were able to connect them to
resources and really help them. So it really opened my
eyes to the capabilities of our legniflhead is that I really, honestly,
I didn't even know that before. This sounds like something
where you could really make a difference, Like you could
feel you're hearing someone's like personal life story and you

(22:17):
could actually hopefully do something to help them. I mean
to me, that sounds like it was a pretty movie
experience for you. It was. And I'm probably the worst
kind of in turn, because I'm like I'm bringing everything like, no,
this is a toy, this is a priority right here.
They're like, man, you know, there's so many things going
on and it's a constant reminder, like man you have,

(22:38):
it's a constant batty. You had to constantly do good
and help others because even then there are people that
get passed over. You know, you get the reality that
you can't help every single person, and literally watching and
seeing how things are facilitated that hurts. But knowing that
there are people that help them. That's t distance right

(23:00):
dishes that I still live in right now. Even though
I'm in Harrod Gallty, it's in the same district as
some of the calls are receiving from Baltimore City as well,
and so you're able to help that way, but knowing
that the next district over they don't have those same resources,
but they have similar problems. Again, it was an eye
opening experience for me, And like I said, I tried
to help each and every person I could. I was calling,

(23:22):
I was email and whatever I could try to figure
out how I could help. What do you think the
best way for you to honor his legacy? You know
he used to always give me credit for like being bold,
not being shy he can help, and not being afraid
to do the work. To me, you know, that build

(23:43):
my confidence. So for me, I'm trying to take it
to the next level. I want to be very present
not only where I reside, but in Baltimore City as well.
And he's trying to help any and everyone because, like
I said, that was a man. It didn't care. He
didn't care if you were rich, he didn't care if
your report, he didn't care if you were educated, and
care weren't like he treated everyone in saying. And so
I want to make sure I countinue to, you know,

(24:04):
help and play my part and educate people as well
on this process of voting and what your leaders can
do and challenge them to do more. So for me,
I'm just continuing my education myself of trying to learn
the dynamics of Baltimore City and surrounding areas and where
I'm from a Virginia and what type of changes need

(24:27):
to happen for people's lives to be changed. Like you
to that, I would make you my congressman for a
year tour. Okay, So if you were what are some
things you think you would do or fight for if
you were in that position. I mean, where do you
want to start? I mean, if if we're talking locally,

(24:48):
lets let's talk with me, all right, let's talk. Let's talk.
You know, the first thing I would do is decriminalize
certain things. Um, marijuana would be decriminal We have people
who get caught up in the system over marijuana, which
their corporations making millions of dollars off of it. I

(25:09):
would make sure we raise the minimum wage. Again. I
use the example some people are working eighteen hour days
to provide for their kids, but the only job that
they're qualified for, you know, maybe a minimum wage job.
And whether that's because of their educational experience or a
crime they committed their record, or whatever it may be,

(25:31):
that isn't right. You know, they should be able to
survive in America, if you work hard, you're supposed to
be successful. That's what we tell people. Yeah, we don't
give them the opportunity to even forget, like trying to
live a lavish life to survive. And so to me,
I think the bare minimum is to try to remove that.

(25:54):
And also you want to talk about businesses and things.
I think we could be more friendly towards businesses in
Maryland and my personal opinion, which would allow more jobs
to be here, more jobs to open up in schools.
You know, people are just talking about the money in schools.
I was actually debating about that on social media recently,

(26:16):
about the money in schools and all of that, And
like listen, I live in Harrow County. Horrod County is
known for its great public schools. My kids go to
public school. Well, I took them out right now they're
being homeschooled because of COVID, and my kids are young.
They're not sitting at a computer all day, but they
will be going to public school. So when you think
about public school here, I'm not concerned about a lot

(26:38):
of things. They have brooks they haven't and they have
computers that they have access to. You know, they have counselors,
they have health that they gun need. Well, you go
to these city schools. Some of them don't have heat,
some of them don't have ac some of them don't
have constant access to compute it. Some of them don't
have clean bathrooms because the person's coming twice a week.

(26:59):
They can only whatever janitor comes twice a week. So
why can't we have these schools to have these kids
have a fair chance. You know, they're falling behind early
and we aren't meeting them where they are to help
them prepare for. So that's why even on a person
to note, we're trying to get out in front when
it comes to early childhood learning to make sure that
the kids have that opportunity, because again, it's about access

(27:22):
in a lot of situations. Obviously, we know the police
brutality has been a major gasue in this country. Can
you talk about how you think politics can play a
role in attacking that issue. Politics is everything. You know,
people like to deny it and say it doesn't matter,
but I tell people all the time, you know, black
people only is free in America because of policies. Black

(27:45):
people women are only able to vote because of policy.
So if you want things to change, it's going to
have to go to the the legislative route. Because you can't
trust the human heart or the human mind to be
the the jury. You've got to have to have something
that holds them accountable. And in closing, I want you

(28:06):
to talk about how you're still connected in any way
with the Ravens, even though you're not obviously on the field,
and I know you're close with Steve and Shoddy, so
any ways, you're connected with the Ravens as far as
trying to do things in the community. And also I
just wanted to open the floor to you to talk
about anything that's important to you regarding this issue that

(28:28):
we may not have touched on, regarding racism, social injustice,
because I know you have a podcast of your own
two where you talk about a lot of these things. Yes,
I have a podcast called Training Thoughts, and I literally
talk about anything that's training in my life at the time.
So that could be this topic, you know, that could
be parenting, it could be anything. You know. I like
to talk about things that are real that we all

(28:49):
can relate to. But we're when it cuts to the Ravens,
I know I left. I went to other teams, you know,
one another Super Bowl episode up here. But Baltimore is different,
you know, from the city and the organization itself and
the way they've treated me over time. And I was
very involved in the Baltimore Ravens never stopped me from

(29:12):
being who I am. I was able to be vocal
without having to come back and hear from Coach Harbaugh
or Miss Society about Hey, Tory, you know you had
to tell now what you're talking about, or denying me
from being in the community every week. I never had

(29:32):
to deal with that. In fact, I would say they helped.
I was in the community more because of their support.
And now I'm retired, you know, I've been able to
be involved with the Ravens and what they're doing in
the community as well from the outside. But it's only
going to get bigger and better, so I'm looking forward
to saying what comes out of it. But again, as

(29:54):
long as I'm in Baltimore and the Ravens are in Baltimore,
which is going to be forever, you know, year to
help and support because this is an organization that does
care about its people. You know. I had the opportunity
to help with the players with the grant and getting
involved in the community, and the players worked extremely hard

(30:15):
to figure out which organizations they would donate the million
dollars too. That was gifted by the Baltimore Ravens and
the Steve Whi Shatty Foundation. So for me, I was like, man,
it's this huge to be there to be involved with
the players and to help them figure out where things
should go. Because now even I'm retired and I'm not

(30:35):
in that locker room, I'm able to talk to them
about things that matter to them. So as much as
I'm able to talk, you know, with everyone and the
higher ups and be a resource for them. You know,
I'm able to talk to the players as well, because
you know, they want to help Baltimore become a better place.
So I'm actually thankful that they even called on me
to help with that. That was to be deal. You know,

(30:58):
I was able to help bring some all the organizations
to their attention and figure out ways that we could
help make the city better because I feel like oftentimes
big corporations they go to the big foundation, and I
think they were able to learn a lot from that
exposure about the smaller organizations that are doing great things

(31:19):
right in the city, but they don't have the same
type of support. And so it was pretty special to
watch that come together, to know that they were able
to transform organizations, which in turn will help transform lives
in this city. It's pretty special, and like I said,
it's only going to get bigger and better. You've catched
your vote already to over are you doing an election day?
So I'm going election day? You know, I like to

(31:41):
vote on election day. Also, I'm curious to see if
nicer areas have any polling issues, So that's my own
personal observation that I'm looking for because I tend to
see when there are issues with the polling, which we
see on social media and things like that, it tends

(32:02):
to be organizations of towns where people of color are
president and in high numbers or in lower income communities.
So I'm looking forward to seeing if I can just
take a breast one walk into my folding location, cast
my vote, and come on out. And I'm anxious to

(32:24):
see that, so I will. I will be voting with
my wife, but I like to do it in person. Tory,
Really appreciate your time, really appreciate the work you do,
and I appreciate your honesty and willingness to speak out.
So thanks for coming on black in the NFL. You know,
we'll see how this election turns out. Hopefully everybody out

(32:46):
there that's going to participate in the process, make sure
y'all vote. Appreciate care, all right, take care. My next
guest is all Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who was
the Ravens NFL Players Association represented. He's also on the
team's players council that decided which organizations would receive a

(33:09):
portion of the one million dollar donation that the Ravens
committed towards a fight on social injustice. Stanley has become
increasingly involved with the community during his five seasons with
the Ravens, and his belief in the importance of voting
has grown. I follow your Twitter closely, really enjoy it.

(33:30):
And you once said a fight against racism isn't a
political thing. Could you expand a little on what you
meant by that? Yeah, I mean it's kind of boilt in.
You know, racism. It's just built into the fabric of
our country's history, and you know, like it or not,
that's just you know, our nation as part of our upbringing.

(33:50):
I think people, you know, try to avoid that part
of history and try to put it all on politics
and try to play that card when it's really a
bigger issue than politics, and it's politicians, you know, have
the ways of making it about that, but it's bigger
than that. Back in July you also posted on your
Twitter feed and essay did the great Congressman John Lewis wrote,

(34:13):
which was published a few days after his death, which
in essence was like his last words to us. And
in that essay he wrote, quote, voting and participating in
the democratic process are key. The vote is the most
powerful change as you can have in a democratic society. Why,
I guess did that essay with Congressman Lewis resonate so

(34:35):
much with you? I just think because you just resonate
with me, just the importance or rather the lack of
importance it's kind of had on the younger generation, you know,
my generation, just part of our lives coming up and
really realizing the impact that you can have by voting
and going out and vote in the power you have
and the amount of things that can change in society

(34:57):
just by who's being voted in or out. Just understanding that,
I think is really a big, big thing for everyone
in our country, especially younger people right now. Has you
always been a guy who was passionate about voting? No,
I like in the past, I was never, never like

(35:19):
a big political guy. I just didn't realize the power
I had with the vote I had, And I think
people just have to realize, you know that you're voting
for more than just a person. You're voting You're voting
for ideology, You're voting for mentality, You're voting for a
cultural difference. Have you talked to any or a lot
of your team, it's about voting, and I guess do

(35:43):
you feel within your team that guys are feeling the
same way, did you do les end their political passion
has increased over the last few years or not. Yeah,
we definitely had a team talks about what we're talking
about now, and I think everyone on our team realizes
the importance you know, voting and the power that comes

(36:06):
with it. Now. The Ravens recently put out a letter
demanding for the Justice and Polificing Act, calling for Mitch
McConnell to vote for the Justice Polifing Act. He didn't
do that. So what's the next step do you think
if your demands aren't met? Yeah, I think we just
got to keep pushing, like like we like we said,
we have to be you know, forward and explosive of

(36:27):
what we want, just like when we ask Senator McConnell
to bring that to the floor, and obviously he didn't,
But as I mean, we're not going to stop bringing
you know, different things up to him or whoever the
case might be. And you know we're going to figure
that out, you know, as a team, our next steps.
But that's definitely something you know, we're still thinking about
and focused on how do you respond to people who say, hey, man,

(36:50):
it's just one vote. You know, I'm just one vote.
My vote doesn't matter that much. Yeah, I thought the
same thing. And then you realize that eighty one hundred
and people are thinking the same way. And that's that's
that's where the power lies. Like a like a bunch
of people thinking that their vote doesn't matter, so they
don't vote, and you know, all those people together end

(37:11):
up being a you know, could be a big portion
of the votes, and they just don't realize that. They
don't realize that that power of unity unification, and you're
truly not going to get what the people want unless
the people vote. Can you tell me a little bit
about Baltimore. Pump Hounds a project that creates financial sustainability
and black communities in Baltimore that I know that you've

(37:34):
you know, had some dealings with. Yeah, so the development
company UM bought a couple of blocks Baltimore. And the
whole point is it's great financial stimulus, economic contimulus and
to bring business. And they're trying to provide the groundwork
for businesses to thrive. So it's not it's not as

(37:55):
hard to get it off the ground and they're really
trying to like build the framework out. And that's a
lot of the things that you know, I thought, like
on the state level are very important. I think they
should be more involved in building up the black communities,
especially a lot of the older black communities I've been
there for a while that have been you know, disenfranchised
for centuries. I think it's it's definitely part of responsibility

(38:19):
of the local government to step in and give these
parts of the city breaks and you'd rather be tax
breaks or incentives to have businesses moving these areas. I
think there's a responsibility there for them now. In August,
the Ravens and now distribution of woming Aou, the Social
Judice initiatives in Baltimore. You've stated that you're passionate about

(38:41):
this project. How are you directly involved with that? So
I was just like the Baltimore pump House. I was
out there like looking at different projects and trying to
figure out which which ones are really going to create
you know, long term sustainability and really going to last
generational and not just kind of be like a a program.
You know, it's going to be there for like a

(39:02):
year or something, and not really truly make the difference
that that needs to be changed, and I really really
wanted it to be invested in places like like that
that are gonna start to really change and not just
kind of help, you know. Now going through some cliffs,
I saw a picture of you having met Donald Trump

(39:24):
in Vegas in two thou sixteen, and the capture you
had on Instagram with it was this, dude is crazy.
Can you tell me about that meeting, how that took
place and what we aspire. Yeah, So I was training
for the draft. So this was before my rookie year.
I was training, and I was staying at the Trump
Hotel while I was training, So and he came through there,

(39:46):
and this was before he was like a serious candidate,
and like everyone was kind of joking about it, you know, like, oh,
Trump's running for president, Like this is hilarious, you know.
So I was like, yeah, I might as well take
a pick with the guy. Never really thought he make
it to where he is now, you know, But that
was wrong. Ronnie. I appreciate the time so much. Appreciate

(40:09):
the work that you're doing in the Baltimore community and
your points of view, So thanks so much for coming
on all right, take care now, all right, thank you.
Our final guest is Tracy od Blunt, Senior vice President
of Corporate Communications for the National Football League. She's one

(40:29):
of the league's highest ranking officials and played a major
role in leading this year's NFL Votes campaign to drive
among the league and its players to encourage fans to
vote in the upcoming election. A native of Nashville, Tennessee,
Tracy comes from a family that has long been involved
with politics, and you'll hear about her connection to the

(40:50):
Ravens dating back to their first Super Bowl season. Tracy,
I'm so glad you could be a part of this podcast.
Black in the NFL. You're the NFL senior vice president
of Corporate Communications. So can you briefly describe your job
and why you're so passionate about it. So I am

(41:13):
in a position of being able to tell the messages
of what is happening at the league and the players,
and so in my role as corporate Communications, I have
several portfolios that I oversee which include player health and safety,
includes all of our events, club business development and marketing,
our social responsibility and community relations. And then working just

(41:36):
with NFL media and the network. But I think I'm
really excited about the opportunity to talk to you today
around NFL votes. And so players across the league had
reached out to the commissioner and said they really wanted
to focus on the election this year as a unified
front in the sense that the NFL Players Association as

(41:57):
well as the Players Coalition all came together to do
a nonpartisan education effort to get players lead personnel and
club personnel and staff to register to vote and make
sure that they vote on election Day. So there were
three phases to the campaign. So there was a voter
education session which started in July during training camp. And

(42:21):
so there are three organizations, Rise to Vote, I am
a voter, and Rock the Vote and know that the
Ravens are working with Rise to Vote. The second phase
of this campaign it was voter registration and then the
last phase is where we are now is in the
activation phase. We all make our voices heard on game day,

(42:43):
but on election Day only sixty percent of eligible Americans
even showed up to vote. Only sixty percent. Sixty percent.
Sixty percent isn't good enough. We each have a responsibility,
an opportunity to be heard, to choose our representation and
it's easy and it's easy visit Rise to vote dot org.
Registered to vote and registered to vote, let's all be
heard this election day. So you know, early voting has

(43:06):
started in many states, and so between early voting and
ensuring that people get out on election day to vote
is what this last pushes. So we're making our game plan.
So far, we've had over nine hundred players that have
registered through the NFL Votes campaign, so most of you know,
our players and coaches have been involved. You had Russell Wilson,

(43:30):
you have coach Pete Carroll, the Ravens. They've done their
own version of the sixty percent campaign, which I can
just briefly talk about, but it was justin Tucker Klais, Campbell,
Matthew Gedon So and Anthony Levine participated in the specific
one there. But the sixty percent campaign. If you go

(43:50):
back and you look at up the Pew statistics, sixty
percent of eligible voters in the twenty sixteen presidential election
did not vote. That is not a good thing, you know.
We launched this on the fifty fifth anniversary of the
Civil Rights Act. Representative John Lewis has just passed earlier
in the year we lost Congressman Elijah Cummings, and so

(44:11):
these figures fought the good fight for us to have
that opportunity to vote. And when you hear the people
don't think that their vote counts or they don't you know,
just take those few hours to go out there and
make a difference. If you don't vote, you're not hurt.
Have you noticed over the past year. You've mentioned some
of the things that happened. We all know some of
the tragedy with George Floyd. And have you noticed players

(44:35):
as a whole becoming more politically awakened this year. I'm
not suggesting that they weren't before, but I'm just curious
about the impact you've seen dealing with players this year.
If you've seen and it increased awareness of how much
they feel the need and the desire to get involved
even more so, like you said, players have been a

(44:58):
leading voice uh in the fight for social justice for
many years. You know, this season, I'll start with with
where we were with COVID. I mean, what we saw.
So we have a couple pandemics, right, so you've got
the health pandemic, and then from there you saw the
disparity between black and brown communities and in mainstream communities

(45:19):
and access to healthcare. And so early in March, the
Players Coalition, which was founded and led by Anquan Bolden
Malcolm Jenkins, they came together and looked at the funding
that they had remaining and donated over two million dollars
in direct funds in six markets and including Baltimore, specifically

(45:43):
to infuse money into hospitals, into you know, centers that
they know where you know it's going to help people
with medicine and get food. So that that was one
area where you know, you really saw players coming together.
And then with all of the social full unrest that
has taken place from from everything that you know, many

(46:04):
in the black community have seen and known and has
gone on for a long time. But for all of
us to be put on the same playing field and
level in the sense that we were all at home,
It's not like we could get out and go to
the grocery store after we watched something on the news.
We all watched George Floyd get murdered on television. Then
there is nothing that anybody could could do. And so

(46:26):
with that, I think that really galvanized the players, the league,
and just people in general, like there's a humanity factor here,
and it brought everybody together. And so the conversations that
we're being had that you know, may not have been
had before, we're really happening. And I think that that

(46:47):
has has brought everybody closer together and to really focus
on the issue of social justice and what needs to
be addressed there. Now. When you're talking to players, I
know that we all know that when players begin to
speak out, they're always going to receive criticism from some
who believe that they shouldn't be doing this, they're stepping
outside their box or whatever. They just don't want to

(47:08):
hear it. When you're talking to players who are trying
to decide, well, do I really want to plunge further
into activism or politics, what do you say to them.
We're all from communities, right Their job is playing football,
but they still have families, They still have communities where
they grew up, their you know, their friends and families

(47:29):
that are still there. And so when we see injustices,
you can't help but want to go back and make
a difference in your community. So you know, you're right.
People are going to going to say, you know, you know,
just play ball and don't do anything, but we're all
human and that's why I go back to to you know,
the tragedy with George Floyd. It really put everybody on

(47:50):
notice that you know wasn't aware before. And I do
that with air quotes, so you know that that being said,
I think players they have a platform to make a
difference in their communities. I think the NFL provides a
platform for players, coaches, personnel, and everybody to speak out
because we bring community together and we do that through sports.

(48:14):
And so the humanity factor and the fact that this
whole summer has put everybody on notice is something that
you know, the players are speaking out and they are
making a difference. Since we're you know, in the height
of the election season. If you have the opportunity to
vote and you have your game plan, get out and vote.

(48:36):
And it is not just because it is a presidential election.
All the issues that we've been seeing since you know,
we were all on lockdown with COVID starting in March,
these issues can be impacted at the local level. So
it is important just from a voting standpoint that you
go all the way down the ticket and you make
yourself aware of the issues because some of the things

(48:58):
that are happening are determined by the state legislature or
the city council, or the school board or the attorney general.
So it is important to understand the issues, but really
to exercise your right to vote, because if there are
things that you don't like, then you can make that
change by voting on third of November. And so I
think it is critical. It is a civic duty. And

(49:23):
if you don't speak, you're not heard and you can't
complain excellent. Now, before you came to NFL, you were
a highly successful president of the Urban Movie Channel. From
an outside or look in, you know, you didn't need
to make a career switch. So I'm just curious what
intrigued you about coming to work for the NFL, and

(49:46):
if being a black woman did you feel more compelled
to take on this kind of role. I had an
opportunity to interview with the NFL, and I knew that
communications was my PA, and I said, if I do
nothing else, if I get this position, I want to
make a difference, and this is my dream job. And

(50:07):
so I think what I am excited about and honored
about is to have the opportunity to work on the
social Justice platform. I'm from Nashville, Tennessee. Grew up in
North Nashville. I remember used to tell my dad. I
was like, you know, we don't have to stay in
the community, you can move and he was like, Nope,
staying right here. And the best thing we did was
never moved right Our family was part of that business

(50:29):
community there, and you know, when people had the opportunity
to leave, you know, some get left behind, communities fall apart.
But now you know, he's there and we go back
in and we're trying to rebuild. So it's really really
important that you know, community and what we do and
giving back is important. All right. Now, you mentioned being

(50:49):
from Nashville. I know in nineteen to sixty there was
a famous sitting there and a lunch counter which students
that led to the segregation of some restaurants there in Nashville.
And also I believe your family was somehow as a
connection to that cit in Oh well, yeah, they do
tell me about that, please. And when I moved to DC,

(51:10):
I worked in the Senate for the senator who replaced
al Gore when he became Vice president when the term
was up. I've interviewed on the House side and I
went to interview in Congressman John Lewis's office, and I
remember the chief of staff saying to me, I don't
understand why he wants to see you, because he usually
doesn't see a person the first time, you know, they

(51:31):
come in on a preliminary interview. But the Congressman, for
some reason, I would like to see you. And I
was like, okay. So I walked into his office and
he's got my resume and he says, Odie, that's my
maiden name. And I said yes. He said you from Nashville.
I said yes, and he said nineteen sixty three, and
he literally started telling me the story about the sit in.

(51:54):
So they were either at Woolworth's or the Woolworth counter
on Fifth and he said that they got arrested, and
my family they bailed them out of jail, They clothed them,
they you know, fed them and sent them you know,
back to school and back, you know, back on the bus.
I think they were doing one of their freedom rides
at the time. And to hear that and not know

(52:16):
that from my family, So I remember calling my grandfather
and I said, Granddaddy, you know, I've just met John Lewis.
Today and you didn't tell me about this, And he
was like, oh, you know, there was nothing to tell
that's just what you did. Oh my goodness. Yeah, it was.
It was a moment. He never your grandfather never told
you about that before. Yeah, because to him, he was
just doing what we do. We take care of each other.

(52:37):
You you know, someone needs help, you know you you
you helped them. And so we we had a grocery
store and you know, family business. Our store was right
across the street from Fisk University and and so you know,
Mary and Barry was there, John Lewis was there, So
you had it was a pretty significant historic piece of
Nashville that's part of the civil rights movement. And excited

(52:57):
and proud that my family was part of that. Right now,
we've seen players nearly we've seen the protests having going
on over the country. We've heard Commission to Go Down
say black Lives Matter. But so many people ask the question,
what's next? What's next for not only the NFL, but
you know, the social movement in general. So over the

(53:18):
next four or five years, in what ways would you
like to see the NFL participate in some of these
projects that attack racism and social injustice. Well, so the
good thing is the work is being done now, and
so I think what we've really got to harness and
focus on is the action. So you know, the kneeling

(53:40):
is the demonstration, and we're bringing awareness to the issue.
And so with the events of the summer, everybody is
now aware of the issue, and so the next step
is putting action behind the words. And so what I
will say is the league, we've got an initiative called
Inspire Change, and we're having conversations internally are social justice issues.

(54:01):
So let's call it what it is and make sure
that we are focused on this, you know, year round,
not just during certain times of the year. And so
there are four pillars under that social justice initiative, and
it's education, it's economic advancement, it's community police relations and
criminal justice reform. And so in those four pillars the

(54:22):
work that the players and this is also player led,
but the work that the players are doing in communities,
and you know, with national grant partners and local grantees,
how to amplify that work and then be able to
show what impact that that's had on the child that
got the meal, be it the community that's got a
better relationship with their their local police force. So that's

(54:44):
that's the phase that we're in. So I'm hoping that
over the next two to three years that you'll start
seeing that impact because I've seen and know that a
lot of work has been doing, but it doesn't seem
to have translated beyond some local communities. So we're really
focusing on the action and making sure that the end
user is that's the story that's being promoted as much

(55:06):
as you know, individual involvement will make a difference. How
important do you think it is for the NFL as
we try and move forward to have its players, the
players Association, the owners, the league working in concert and
having an open dialogue trying to push things forward, not

(55:26):
that everyone can always agree on the best ways, but
just to have that dialogue. How important will that be
in the process of having the NFL and as players
make a difference in social issues? Well, the good things
that's already happening, and so everything that I mean around
our NFL Votes campaign inspire change. The work that is

(55:47):
being done with our Workplace Diversity Committee, We've got a
seven point you know plan where we're focusing on increasing
the coaching ranks with African Americans, and so that long
is happening. The ownership group very very active. We're talking
with the PA, We're talking about the players coalition, so
we're all talking together, we're working in concert. And so

(56:10):
the successes that we are having is because the relationship
has been has been very positive at this time. Yeah, Tracy,
I know you worked for the league now, but understand
you have kind of a long connection with the Ravens
and you know kind of following them. Can you talk
about that for me please? I can. I had a
friend that played for the Ravens who was on the

(56:33):
Super Bowl winning team, gentleman named Corey Harris. He would
leave tickets for me and so I would. My first
time I went to the game was at Memorial Stadium
before they were building the Ravens Stadium. And ironically, my
husband and father in law's business their general contractors who
were part of the joint venture that built M and

(56:55):
T Stadium, So there's that connection there as well. So
once the stadium was built, and I would come to
the games, and sometimes I would come by myself, so
I would just park the car and walk over to
the stadium and watch the games and enjoy, so I've
had a connection there for quite some time. Interesting. Well, Jasey, again,
I want to thank you for participating in Black in

(57:16):
the NFL. Thanks you for your efforts, and I look
forward to talking to you down the road. But thanks
for coming on. Really appreciate it. I really appreciate you
having me. Thank you so much. Take care. In this
episode of Black in the NFL, we've heard from two

(57:38):
men and two women, all highly successful. In episode one,
we heard from a thirty nine year old white former
army Griebret who grew up in California, and a seventy
seventy year old black social activists who grew up in
East Saint Louis. In episode two, we heard from one
raven who grew up in Detroit and another who grew

(58:01):
up outside of Denver. What did they all have in common?
The right to vote, a concern for this country, and
a belief that the political process can make a difference.
As much as I love sports, it has become very
hard for me to understand people who will cheer themselves

(58:22):
for US rooting for their favorite team, but who won't
speak up by casting a vote on election day. I
can't speak for you, but I'm afraid that I'm probably
in the fourth quarter of my life. I simply can't
afford to sit on the sidelines during the political process,
and for what I've seen in twenty twenty, no matter

(58:45):
what your age, I don't think you can afford to
sit it out either. Thanks for listening to this episode
of Black in the NFL, and please join us for
episode War, where we'll discuss police brutality. One of our
guests will be Ravens running back mark Ingram. The second

(59:09):
Black in the NFL is powered by Blue Wire. This
show is produced and edited by Noah Eberhard, an executive
produced by Michelle Andres, Ryan Mink, John Yales, and Peter Moses.
Tuned to the Ravens podcast Network for two other podcasts,

(59:30):
The Lounge hosted by Garrett Downing and Ryan Mink and
What Happened to That Guy? Hosted by John Isenberg. Thanks
for listening and be blessed until next time.