The Steelers will celebrate the NFL's social justice platform, 'Inspire Change,' this Sunday when they take on the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field.
As a part of the day, the Steelers will present 'Inspire Change' Awards to two community leaders, Alma Speed Fox and Jerrel Gilliam.
Fox is civil rights champion and community advocate; revered as the "mother of Pittsburgh's Civil Rights Movement" and one of the area's first African American feminist leaders, Alma Speed Fox served on the city's front lines for more than 60 years. Growing up in Cleveland, she joined the NAACP at the age of 13. After moving to Pittsburgh in 1949, Fox became involved with the NAACP's Pittsburgh Branch, eventually serving as its executive director from 1966-1971 at the height of the nation's Civil Rights Movement. A champion of human rights and an advocate for women, Fox is founding member and President Emeritus of Freedom Unlimited, Inc. She held a seat on the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations for three decades and served as a member of the board of directors for the National Organization for Women, Gwen's Girls, and the Women and Girls Foundation.
Gilliam is the Executive Director of the Light of Life Rescue Mission, an organization he began with as a volunteer in 2014. Gilliam's social work began when he worked as a paramedic in the Hill District in the 1980s and he realized he wanted to address underlying problems that can ripple through the community before they started.
Gilliam served as the Pastor at Covenant Church of Pittsburgh and Lead Pastor of Shiloh Church in South Park, where his parents also served as pastors. He was also President of Mosaic Sound, providing consulting services for churches and faith-based organizations for the past 14 years.
In addition to the awards, the team will also highlight multiple community organizations who are making a difference. The organizations will have setups on Art Rooney Avenue before the game for fans to learn about the incredible work they are doing to make the Pittsburgh region better.
Among those highlighted are: Homewood Children's Village, Urban Impact, Amachi Pittsburgh, Jasmine Nyree Center and Best of the Batch Foundation.
The Steelers will also have coaches from the RISE Leadership Series, a program to gain skills and knowledge to effectively discuss and address matters of racism and injustice with their teams, schools and communities, take part in the Terrible Towel Twirl pregame.
