Kean Shines Light on Power of Sports to Promote Social Change During Human Rights Week

The power of sports to unite people and spark social change was celebrated at Kean University this week at an event featuring human rights activist Ndaba Mandela, professional sports executives, student-athletes and schoolchildren during the University’s Human Rights Week.  

Sports leaders from the NFL, NBA, New York Jets and New York Red Bulls joined Mandela, Kean’s senior human rights fellow on Tuesday, November 12, for a wide-ranging panel discussion, Sports for Social Change and Advocacy, about using sports for good. A youth sports field day, which gave area children the chance to play lacrosse and soccer with support from Kean’s student-athletes, followed. 

“Sports bring people from all backgrounds together and allow them to have conversations,” said NFL Director of Football Development Daniel Van Norton, one of the panelists. “It starts in the community, with the game of football. It allows people from different backgrounds to see each other, appreciate each other, and learn from each other.” 

Kean’s Human Rights Week includes a series of events exploring human rights and advocacy in areas such as community service, education and sports.  

Mandela, activist, author and the grandson of the late South African President Nelson Mandela, is featured throughout the week’s events. At the Sports for Social Change event, he invoked the experience of his grandfather, who famously unified his country through his support of rugby. 

“The power of sports really is the power to galvanize people,” Mandela said. “And when people are together, this is the time you have them to push whatever positive message that you want – for change, for impact. The world is not going to change until we get people to actually get involved in the change that we want to see.”  

The panel touched on a wide range of topics, including athletes’ ability to use their voices to support social causes; equity and diversity in sports; opportunities for women in professional sports; and the benefits individuals gain from sports. 

"Events like today remind us of the incredible impact sports can have in breaking down barriers and helping us see each other’s humanity," said Kean University President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. "Human Rights Week here at Kean is all about celebrating our diverse community and learning how each of us can positively contribute to the world around us." 

The panel members also described their own career paths and offered advice to students.   

“Being a woman in sports can feel lonely,” said Tonilynn Taranto, Red Bulls community relations manager. Among those who helped in her career journey, she said, was fellow panelist Alexa Canas ’13, a Kean alumna and manager of corporate partnership activation for the Jets. 

“Always be an ally for someone else,” Taranto said. “By empowering other people you’re empowering yourself.” 

Canas told students there are many careers available in sports. 

“It’s not just players on the field,” she said. “There are so many opportunities.” 

The audience for the panel included many Kean student-athletes.  

Freshman Kylee Durso of Point Pleasant, a freshman biology - health professions major, just finished her first college field hockey season. She said the panelists’ advice for athletes was helpful. 

“Sports have definitely impacted me so much,” she said. “It was interesting to hear about women in sports.” 

Senior Renee Rocha of Linden, an exercise science, pre-athletic training major, said she helped plan the meeting as a student worker at the Human Rights Institute. Her career goal is to become an athletic trainer, and she said she found the meeting inspiring. 

“Everyone on the panel gave a good amount of insight into what it means to work in sports and how you can use your voice to be a political or social person for change,” she said. “It’s important that we as college students hear that information.” 

Ezekiel Markin, a junior from West Orange studying communication, was grateful to spend time with a personal hero. 

“Ndaba has been an inspiration to me ever since I was a kid,” Markin said.  

The final event of the sports-themed day took place on Kean’s Alumni Stadium football field, where youth groups practiced soccer and lacrosse drills with Kean student athletes. 

“They’re excited to try out sports, and come to a college,” said Tyler Christie, director of youth and recreation programs at the Gateway Family YMCA, which operates in Elizabeth, Union and Rahway.  

Among the young athletes on the field was Kendall Powell, 13, an eighth grader from Union.  

“It feels great to be on a college field,” Kendall said after taking part in a soccer drill. He said he has learned about the benefits of sports by playing basketball at the YMCA and would like to play professional basketball when he grows up.  

“You get to interact with other people, learn their background. You can find out interesting things about other cities,” he said. “But if sports don’t work out, I want to be a zoologist.”