Super Bowl Champion Michael Bennett will continue his outreach to Indigenous youth with a sports camp at the Tulalip Tribes Sports Complex on Sunday, June 23, 2019.
For the third summer in a row, Michael will take time out of his busy life to show Indigenous children that they matter, and to encourage them to live a healthy and active lifestyle.
“I believe that Native kids matter,” said Michael. “We must amplify the voices of Native children because they are the original Americans.”
Indigenous youth are the most vulnerable youth group in the United States. Over 25% Indian children live in poverty and 30% are obese. Native youth graduate from high school at a rate 17% lower than the national average. Native youth suffer the highest juvenile suicide rate, at more than double rate for the Caucasian youth suicide. Native youth experience PTSD at a rate of22%—triple that of the general population.
"We all have a duty to join forces against the oppression of any people," Michael continued.
Doing and giving what he can to improve life for Indigenous youth, Michael and the Bennett Foundation conducted a sports camp on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation in South Dakota, in 2017. Last year, Michael hosted Lummi and Nooksack 306 youth at a closed Seattle Seahawks practice at the team’s headquarters, as well as Native girls from various Pacific Northwest tribal communities at his Girls Empowerment Summit event at Garfield High School in Seattle.
This Sunday at Tulalip, over 500 Indigenous boys and girls are expected to attend. Michael will run sports drills and exercise with the youth and impart to them the need to eat nutritious foods, make healthy lifestyle decisions, and respect one’s self—because each of their lives are valued.
Michael’s Foundation, headquartered in Hawaii, has partnered with the Tulalip Tribes, the Snohomish County-Tulalip Unit of the Boys & Girls Club, Jaci McCormack’s Rise Above non-profit, and Indigenous rights law firm Galanda Broadman, PLLC, to hold the sports camp.
The sports camp will run from 1 to 3 PM; registration begins at noon. Registration for youth, ages 7 to 18, is free and still open at this link.
