All year-round, the San Francisco 49ers celebrate the NFL's Inspire Change initiative, a campaign that bridges sports and social impact. To start the season, the 49ers used their platform to empower local youth through mentorship. This effort aligns with the team's commitment to social justice, highlighted by their recent announcement of $5 million in grants over the next decade to support organizations creating societal change in the Bay Area.

As part of the team's social justice grant recipients announcement, the 49ers hosted a mentorship session at Levi's® Stadium, inviting students from various nonprofits to engage directly with players. Among the players who participated were WR Brandon Aiyuk, DL T.Y. McGill, LB Curtis Robinson, TE Mason Pline, TE Jake Tonges, RB Patrick Taylor Jr., DL Kevin Givens and RB Isaac Guerendo. The event aimed to create dialogue around social justice and leadership, allowing students to gain insights from the players' experiences.

"I think it's super important to bring these groups into the stadium," Robinson said. "A lot of these these kids just see us on TV and are fans that way. But I think it's really important for us to be able to connect with them in person. I love being able to immerse ourselves in their communities and let them see we're people as well, we have the ability to help, we're not just football players."

Robinson shared how impactful the conversations were, as students asked for inspiration and guidance in their transition from middle school to high school and beyond.

"They asked a lot about what motivates me," the linebacker said. "I spoke a lot about my parents and I explained how important it is to me to represent this organization well."

The participating nonprofits included Kingmakers of Oakland, which focuses on leadership development for Black boys and families, East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC), nurturing youth development from kindergarten to adulthood, Alive & Free, providing resources to help young people avoid violence and incarceration and Urban Peace Movement, empowering youth to combat community violence and advocate for social justice.

"We created a space for young people to meet and talk, paving the way for community building," Kingmakers of Oakland program director Khalil Chapman said. "It was beautiful to see a diverse mix of conversations about their experiences and aspirations."

The students also shared their reflections on the experience. Dominic Marino, an 11th grader, highlighted how impactful it was to hear from 49ers players.

"They talked about how they push through challenges," Marino said. "One thing that stood out was when Kevin Givens told me to use my struggles as strength to push forward... He came from a tough situation, just like me. I really liked his advice to focus on building positive connections."

Through these mentorship sessions, the 49ers have the ability to foster relationships with local organizations and extend their impact beyond the field, helping build a brighter and more inclusive Bay Area community.