Founder and CEO of Pro-Vision Inc., Roynell Young, is the next guest to share his insight on social justice and racial inequality with the McNair Family.
Young, a former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro cornerback, founded his nonprofit in 1990 with a vision to transform Houston's underserved male youth into leaders. Pro-Vision's mission states that it was created to inspire hope and purpose into young people, families and communities through access to academic, economic and social enrichment opportunities.
In the video series "Conversations for Change", Roynell discusses his decision to retire from the NFL in 1988 to pursue his passion for community development.
"I've been doing Pro-Vision and have never looked back. Never missed. Never wanted," said Young. "Pro-Vision has given me more in terms of my being and my purpose than I could ever give it."
Led by Houston Texans Co-founder and Senior Chair Janice McNair, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Cal McNair and Houston Texans Foundation Vice President Hannah McNair, the candid conversation features Young in a roundtable format. He opens up about the great work Pro-Vision has done so far, but explains that it still isn't enough.
"For a very long time, you know from the founding of this country, race has been the issue," Young said. "Race has always been the Black man's burden and the white man's shame. You know, it's been something that has been a burden from my ancestors coming to the shores to all the things that in the face of the progress that has been made has always been resistance to that progress."
Young also shares the importance of continuing conversations like these in order to make real, lasting change.
"Eventually the protests will subside, but I hope protests affect policy," Young said. "It's very easy to look at the one who lives in darkness, but it's -- we never point a finger at the one that created the darkness. Think about that. And so that's what policy does, policy gets at how can we make this structure equitable for everyone. And so I have equipped young men and young women to take responsibility for their lives, but it falls short if I live in a country that still forces me to live in such a way where I'm always stretched."
Conversations for Change | Roynell Young (Ep. 3) will air on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. on HoustonTexans.com, Facebook and YouTube. Click here to view previous episodes of “Conversations for Change”.
