NFLPA, Black Men Vote Reveal Partnership to Encourage Voter Registration, Engagement

The NFL Players Association announced Tuesday it's partnering with Black Men Vote for a venture centered around "voter registration and engagement."

NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith discussed the collaboration:

"Black Men Vote's mission to empower men of color and to educate them on issues that impact our communities seamlessly aligns with what we stand for as a union as well as with the players we represent. Voting is one of the greatest weapons we have in our ongoing march for justice. Together, I'm excited to see what we will accomplish as we work to make sure that every voice is heard at the polls."

Among other things, the NFLPA and Black Men Vote will work together on voter registration drives and a public awareness campaign about the need to engage in the voting process. Current and former NFL players will take part.

In August 2020, the NFL and NFLPA launched their NFL Votes and #AthleteAndVoter initiatives, both of which advocated for civic participation. By that October, the two parties said 90 percent of active players were registered to vote.

Black Men Vote is a non-profit also launched in 2020 with the goal of "[informing] all black men (particularly age 18-35) to vote at all levels of government."