TAMPA, Fla — Super Bowl LV is more than just the big game. It's also about the community.
Community Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee are launching "Huddle for Change," a six-part series that dives into systemic justice.
The series will take a "deeper dive into the nuisances of systemic injustices, how they are perpetuated throughout everyday life, and how our community can create actions to foster change on a local level," according to a press release.
10 Tampa Bay spoke to USF student-athlete and philanthropist KJ Sails who said the George Floyd protests sparked his drive to help communities move forward together and his involvement in the series.
"That really lit a spark in me. I thought maybe I do need to use my voice and get out of my comfort zone and become more of a leader in my community because people really need someone who is going to lead, no matter what color and race, to lead and that's what we are missing in our country right now," Sails said.
Huddle for Change will look to encourage community-wide dialogue and draw from recent studies that take a closer look at the Tampa Bay area. Community Tampa Bay will specifically partner with local grassroots activists, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, corporations, and business leaders to discuss the findings.
The goal is to find "tangible action steps" our community can take to eliminate systemic injustices.
"The six-part series is designed to intentionally engage humans (of all ages) in cross-cultural interaction with those who don’t look like them, live like them or love like them and will have a positive impact on relationships across identities and reduce behaviors informed and perpetuated by stereotypes," according to a press release.
The following topics will be addressed during the series:
- The wealth gap
- Mental health
- Physical health and wellness
- Criminal justice system
- Education
Huddle for Change will kick off at 4 p.m. on Jan. 18 in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Anyone interested in participating can sign up here.
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