By SCOTT CHIUSANO
Former NFL player and Super Bowl champion, Brendon Ayanbadejo, will speak about paving a way for inclusivity in sports on next Wednesday in the Alice Statler Auditorium at 8 p.m. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be hosted by Cornell’s chapter of Athlete Ally, which is in its first year of existence on campus.
“We’re hoping, with our first annual speaking event, to help gain awareness and reach out to various communities to make them aware of what we’re trying to do,” said junior Atticus Deprospo, the president of Cornell’s chapter of Athlete Ally.
After graduating from UCLA, Ayanbadejo signed as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 1999. Ayanbadejo bounced between the NFL and the CFL until 2005, when he was signed by the Chicago Bears. He was selected to two consecutive Pro Bowls for special teams while with the Bears, and was traded to the Ravens in 2008. In Baltimore, he played for four seasons, which eventually culminated him winning a Super Bowl title in 2013.
Courtesy of Brendon Ayanbadejo PhotographyBrendon Ayanbadejo is one of many professional athletes acting as ambassador for Athlete Ally, fighting for LGBT equality in sports