MIAMI DOLPHINS FOOTBALL UNITES™ JOINS 5000 ROLE MODELS OF EXCELLENCE PROJECT TO HOST VIRTUAL POLICE & YOUTH CONFERENCE
The Miami Dolphins FOOTBALL UNITES™ program in collaboration with 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project hosted a virtual police & youth conference on Wednesday, March 17.
Students from school districts including Broward and Miami-Dade Counties joined virtually with South Florida police officers to participate in programming that examined police and youth relationships, scenarios, interactions, personal experiences and opened the floor for questions from participants. The event featured a welcome video from Miami Dolphins Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs Jason Jenkins as well as a panel discussion also involving police chiefs, Dolphins Senior Vice President of Special Projects and Alumni Affairs Nat Moore, Dolphins players Robert Hunt, Austin Jackson and Solomon Kindley, and NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations and Dolphins alum Troy Vincent Sr.
“Thousands upon thousands of role model high school members are safe and alive because they have benefited from nearly three decades of our police and youth conference,” Founder of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project & Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson said. “Through a long-term relationship, the Miami Dolphins have partnered with us in building better police and youth relations over many years and we thank them.”
In its fourth edition with the Miami Dolphins, the annual conference also included a ceremony in which Vincent and Miami Dolphins players Byron Jones and Patrick Laird were inducted into 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project.
“Participating in the police and youth conference each year gives us that opportunity to create those experiences for our staff, players, youth and local law enforcement to have that open dialogue, share experiences and find meaningful solutions in an effort to inspire positive social change,” said Jenkins. “We are proud to partner with Congresswoman Wilson and the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project on this event that is intentional on improving relationships between law enforcement and young men in our community.”
The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project was initiated by the Miami-Dade County School Board in March 1993. The project’s mission is to intervene in the lives of at-risk boys to provide alternatives that will lead them away from a life of crime and violence. The Dolphins and 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project have enjoyed a long-term partnership centering on social justice, education and police and youth relations.
“The Miami Dolphins collaboration with the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project is an exemplary model for police and community relations,” said Vincent. “This conference helps to foster trust, communication, and a better understanding through discussions that engage youth and law enforcement. It was a pleasure to take part in conversations to promote those efforts.”
These efforts align with the Miami Dolphins’ commitment of leveraging the power of sports and entertainment to inspire a healthier, more educated and united South Florida community. Dolphins Chairman of the Board & Managing General Partner Stephen Ross and Dolphins players created the Football UNITES™ program as a way to bring positive social change. The Dolphins organization believes it is important to be inclusive of the diversity and aware of the intersections that make up South Florida, uniting groups of different races, genders, sexual orientations, identities,
