LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As one of the most influential voices in the city, former Louisville football star and current Atlanta Falcon guard Jamon Brown didn't hesitate to use his platform during protests in the city.
Brown has marched alongside protesters this week, prayed with black and white Louisville citizens demanding change and been a voice of reason during moments of disorder.
"This opportunity is here, and it's bigger than me," he said. "If I can be a part in that, I want to."
It's a civic duty, he says.
"Being the guy that I am, I couldn't sit here during a time of hurt, during a time of chaos, during a time of confusion," Brown said. "I couldn't sit on my hands and do nothing."
Brown grew up in the heart of west Louisville, near 41st Street and Broadway, before moving to attend Fern Creek High School. If anyone can identify with those hurting in this city, it's him.
Because of his deep Louisville roots and influential presence, Brown feels like he can help create change.
"It's like Mayor Fischer, listen, with the influence I have, I can help you with some of the chaos going on," he said. "I am a liaison between cops and the community, between government in the community."
The message of the Louisville native turned NFL lineman is not one of violence or hate, rather communication and understanding. But it doesn't stop there, Brown said.
"It's more so of following those conversations with legitimate actions and efforts," Brown said. "I think it's more so can we see visual efforts, see visual efforts of us moving to a better place? Can us as a community see us taking the steps to try and reach a better community? If we're being real with ourselves, look around us, and that will tell us."
Yes, Brown's platform reaches far beyond the majority of most everyone else, but he said everyone has their own voice.
"What does tomorrow look like for the whole community, and how can we as individuals find a way to make tomorrows vision of our community be better than what it looks like today?" Brown said.
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