Night Two with Michael Bennett

After an overwhelming response to our June 18 event, we’ve added a second event on June 19th.

Michael Bennett is a Super Bowl Champion, a three-time Pro Bowl defensive end—as well as a fearless activist, a feminist, a grassroots philanthropist, an organizer, and a change-maker. He’s also been called one of the most scathingly humorous athletes on the planet, a trait that shines as he joins us to share excerpts from his book Things That Make White People Uncomfortable. He offers a deep examination of turbulent times in America and their effect on the relationships of black athletes with powerful institutions like the NCAA and the NFL. Bennett turns a critical eye on problems of racism and police violence unfolding in the public eye, and explores avenues for community action. He advocates for the critical role of protest in history and highlights the responsibilities of athletes as role models to speak out against injustice. Join Bennett for an evening equal parts memoir and manifesto, humorous and urgent—athlete and activist.

Michael Bennett played for the Seattle Seahawks in 2009 and again from 2013 to 2017. Bennett played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2012, and he currently plays for the Philadelphia Eagles. He has gained international recognition for his public support for the Black Lives Matter movement, women’s rights, and other activist and social justice causes. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Most Influential African Americans by The Root, was the Seattle Seahawks nominee for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award, and was honored along with his brother Martellus with a BET Shine a Light award for exceptional service. Bennett donates all of his endorsement money and the proceeds from his jersey sales to fund health and education projects for poor and underserved youth and minority communities, and recently expanded his reach globally to support STEM programming in Africa.

Presented by Town Hall Seattle as part of the Civics series.