I guess Art Acevedo is anti-police. Feel good story. This is what it's all about. L-I-S-T-E-N-I-N-G
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...e-Chief-Art-Acevedo-Kenny-Stills-14447903.php
When Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills arrived in Houston, he expressed a strong desire to quickly get involved and gain a better understanding of the community.
Weeks after being traded from the Miami Dolphins, Stills initiated a meeting with Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. Stills met with Acevedo for roughly 40 minutes Tuesday afternoon at police headquarters, conducting a wide-ranging conversation that left Houston's top law enforcement official highly impressed with the NFL player's character, intelligence and willingness to listen and share ideas.
They discussed community policing and Stills wanting to launch an Officer of the Month program to recognize officers who foster a positive relationship with the community while doing their jobs.
"He reached out to us and he wanted to meet about community policing, community relations and, more importantly, how he can partner with the police department to try to build trust with young people," Acevedo said following his meeting with Stills. "Really thoughtful young man and really, really enjoyed meeting with him. For him to reach out, it shows that this is important to him. The issue of policing and community relations is something that's important to him. I think it speaks to his character. I think it speaks to his maturity."
One of the most outspoken players in the NFL when it comes to raising awareness about social injustice issues and a strong ally of exiled former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Stills is at the forefront of player protests and political activism in the league.
Among the reasons the former Oklahoma star and Oceanside, Calif., native got involved in activism was following a series of unarmed African-Americans being shot and killed by police around the nation.
Stills has been kneeling during the national anthem since the 2016 season to protest racism, social injustice and inequality. He grew up with and maintains close relationships with several active and retired military service personnel.
Acevedo said he views Stills' actions as patriotic and that he believes that his decision to kneel is misunderstood.
"This is why I believe in transparency, and we actually take the time to listen to each other outside of sound bites, outside of people trying to influence us because of their own biases," Acevedo said. "We end up finding out we have a lot more in common. That we’re really right there, side by side. I think for those that would critique this young man because he protests by kneeling, protests bad policing by kneeling during the national anthem that he does that out of a sense of patriotism, out of a sense of love for the community, out of a sense that he wants better outcomes for every one.
"Quite frankly that doesn’t define him. What defines him is the totality of his works, the totality of his character. I can tell you having spent the last 30, 40 minutes with him, we didn’t get just a good athlete. We got a great human being, and I hope that the future will keep him in Houston for a long time to come."
The son of former NFL defensive back Ken Stills, Stills goes on annual road trips as he travels on an RV throughout the South to increase his understanding of how to make an impact in the community.
That includes visiting churches, prisons and juvenile offender facilities in Mississippi and other states, schools, immigrant organizations and women’s shelters and going on ride-alongs with police officers.
"I think that's the beauty of living in America, right?” Stills said last week in his first interview since joining the Texans. “We all get our own opinion and no one opinion is absolute. I hope that people will get to know me and give me the opportunity to get to know them and just respect what I'm doing because I respect how they feel and their thoughts as well.”
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sp...e-Chief-Art-Acevedo-Kenny-Stills-14447903.php
When Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills arrived in Houston, he expressed a strong desire to quickly get involved and gain a better understanding of the community.
Weeks after being traded from the Miami Dolphins, Stills initiated a meeting with Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. Stills met with Acevedo for roughly 40 minutes Tuesday afternoon at police headquarters, conducting a wide-ranging conversation that left Houston's top law enforcement official highly impressed with the NFL player's character, intelligence and willingness to listen and share ideas.
They discussed community policing and Stills wanting to launch an Officer of the Month program to recognize officers who foster a positive relationship with the community while doing their jobs.
"He reached out to us and he wanted to meet about community policing, community relations and, more importantly, how he can partner with the police department to try to build trust with young people," Acevedo said following his meeting with Stills. "Really thoughtful young man and really, really enjoyed meeting with him. For him to reach out, it shows that this is important to him. The issue of policing and community relations is something that's important to him. I think it speaks to his character. I think it speaks to his maturity."
One of the most outspoken players in the NFL when it comes to raising awareness about social injustice issues and a strong ally of exiled former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Stills is at the forefront of player protests and political activism in the league.
Among the reasons the former Oklahoma star and Oceanside, Calif., native got involved in activism was following a series of unarmed African-Americans being shot and killed by police around the nation.
Stills has been kneeling during the national anthem since the 2016 season to protest racism, social injustice and inequality. He grew up with and maintains close relationships with several active and retired military service personnel.
Acevedo said he views Stills' actions as patriotic and that he believes that his decision to kneel is misunderstood.
"This is why I believe in transparency, and we actually take the time to listen to each other outside of sound bites, outside of people trying to influence us because of their own biases," Acevedo said. "We end up finding out we have a lot more in common. That we’re really right there, side by side. I think for those that would critique this young man because he protests by kneeling, protests bad policing by kneeling during the national anthem that he does that out of a sense of patriotism, out of a sense of love for the community, out of a sense that he wants better outcomes for every one.
"Quite frankly that doesn’t define him. What defines him is the totality of his works, the totality of his character. I can tell you having spent the last 30, 40 minutes with him, we didn’t get just a good athlete. We got a great human being, and I hope that the future will keep him in Houston for a long time to come."
The son of former NFL defensive back Ken Stills, Stills goes on annual road trips as he travels on an RV throughout the South to increase his understanding of how to make an impact in the community.
That includes visiting churches, prisons and juvenile offender facilities in Mississippi and other states, schools, immigrant organizations and women’s shelters and going on ride-alongs with police officers.
"I think that's the beauty of living in America, right?” Stills said last week in his first interview since joining the Texans. “We all get our own opinion and no one opinion is absolute. I hope that people will get to know me and give me the opportunity to get to know them and just respect what I'm doing because I respect how they feel and their thoughts as well.”
