During a panel for MLK Now, the fifth annual event celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which was hosted by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler in Harlem, Marshawn Lynch and many other Black figures in culture and entertainment shared their experiences and hopes for the future.

Lynch, who grew up in Oakland with Coogler, talked about the dearth of Black people in the ownership and executive suites in the NFL. 

“It gets to a point, when you get to the NFL that you gotta code switch in order to fit in,” Lynch said. “You gotta not be yourself in order to stick around. You don’t have too many athletes that come into the game with the mindset that they can continue to be themselves.”

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That’s where Lynch has always stood out. He is unapologetically Black, Oakland, and that authenticity allows him to shine and be an example to others. 

Lynch in particular has used his platform to uplift his hometown of Oakland. He’s purchased real estate to ensure that those unable to afford loans have access housing. He’s donated his time through youth football camps, and counsels incoming NFL players and how to handle their business, so they are prepared for life after football.

Marshawn has also traveled to various parts of the world and experienced other cultures and given back abroad as well. “I was able to travel out of the country, and I saw that these people’s hoods was a bit more gutter than mine,” the football star said of his time in Brazil. “After that, I would go to a new country to host a football camp [and] I went to Nairobi and installed a water system for a whole community of people."