How Professional Athletes are Using Their Power for Good

Professional athletes are some of the most influential people in today's society. They are the people who get endorsements from companies and the people little kids want to be like when they grow up. Professional athletes are front and center when it comes to paparazzi and media in general. Just like the rest of us, they make many mistakes and mishandle situations. Unlike the rest of us, they are criticized for it nationally. If they tweet an opinion that people don't agree with, they are more than likely forced to delete the post because somebody who makes less money than they do in the front office thinks it reflects negatively on the organization. Along with the tweets and endorsements, athletes have a strong impression on today's culture, in America and across the world. They use the cultural power for very positive reasons many times. Here are two reasons how athletes are using their power in culture and the money they make for the greater good of society:

1. Social Movements 

Social movements are happening 24/7 in America and globally. The one that I'm focusing on is the social movement going on currently in America. "Black Lives Matter" is very prominent today in sports because of Collin Kaepernick and many other professional athletes kneeling during the national anthem. Whether you agree or disagree with this, I don't care, but the athletes who are taking a knee are using their influence as a star who are on national television every single week to bring light to a situation that they deem fit. Then, not only are they promoting this social movement, but many of them are donating to organizations that work directly with the cause. 

2. Charity Work

Professional sport organizations have many ways that athletes can get involved with charity and service work. The NBA (National Basketball Association) has its own organization called "NBA Cares," where the athletes and teams work give back to communities and kids. The NFL has Play 60, where they encourage everyone to get outside and stay active. Many athletes partake in these organizations and many others to give back to children. I actually follow Russel Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks quaterback, on Instagram and he posts pictures of his visits to a children's cancer hospital. Visits like the ones that Russel Wilson makes, making children dealing with a traumatic illness a little happier. 

With the media and how it portrays athletes sometimes, it is nice to see the goods acts the athletes do for communities and kids being posted on the media. I think we forget that they do great deeds and that they are actually humans. With the amount of stress and pressure that is on professional athletes in the U.S. it is nice that they can take time out of their schedules to give back.