ATLANTA — "Stick to sports" has become a rallying cry for those made uncomfortable by athletes speaking up.
But many in the sports world say creating a little discomfort may be the on-ramp to creating full-blown change. Keith Smith is blowing up the narrative of what NFL players "should" be, and it's the women in his life that help him do it.
As a result, he's making a major difference in our city.
Inside the 6-foot, 240-pound Atlanta Falcon, beats a heart centered on spreading love.
When you take away the pads and the NFL logos, and look at the fullback's life beyond the 100 yards inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, you find a father, brother and son who's focused on giving back and making his mark on his community and the future generation.
"I think that's just what this is all about, using our platform to create positive change in society," Smith said.
Smith, also known as "Beef" to teammates, created a foundation called The Smith Effect to help him reach those goals.
During the pandemic, it's been Books with Beef, a digital reading series featuring Smith, his teammates - like Ricardo Allen and Foye Oluokun - and other players from around the league.
"I think that's where the change starts in this world and society, it's at the young age, kind of teaching them what love and compassion and all the values that this world is lacking right now," Smith explained.
They read to kids of all ages -some adults, too - and spend some time talking about life lessons.
"It was really just geared towards getting intimate and direct with the kids so they can have an experience with a professional athlete," Smith explained.
"If I was a young 10-year-old kid who got to basically FaceTime with one of my favorite players in the NFL, I would've been ecstatic," he added. "So, it was just such a cool experience being able to teach these kids life lessons about love, compassion, generosity."
It started with his daughter.
Smith described how he is overjoyed at being a "girl dad," something he'll be -times two - with another little girl on the way, soon. He said showing other men the joys of being a father is another passion of his, because of the life he's lived.
"I think fatherhood is such a beautiful thing for one, and two it's something that I didn't really get to experience completely in my life," Smith admitted.
"My father was not always there for me as consistently as I would've have wanted him to be, but it is what it is," he added. "Now, I get to pay it forward to my kids and my family, and be the father that I've always dreamt of being - of having for myself - and I think fatherhood is such an important role in society, because there's a lot of guidance there that you can get from a good father."
Smith said his father wasn't always around, but he had support from his single-mother. And he has 10 sisters. He grew up surrounded by women. So, now, when he thinks about caring for his own children - his little girls - he knows he has to put everything else aside to give them the best of himself.
"The girls will bring a different side out of you," he described. "You've got a put down your ego and your pride and your - puff up your chest - and you've got to get intimate.
"Being a girl dad takes you to that level, and makes you get underneath that and kind of learn that," he added. "So, it's really such a dope experience being a girl dad."
It's also his family and the future that drives his need to seek change with issues of social justice.
"Being an Atlanta athlete, you know, the roots run deep here. Especially the civil rights roots run deep here. So, what better way, what better organization to be a part of than the Atlanta Falcons," he said.
Smith is on the Atlanta Falcons' social justice committee, working to find ways to motivate and inspire people to help be part of something bigger than themselves.
It goes beyond the messages he posts online and the words across his chest on game-days. He's looking for ways to help people walk the walk, especially when it comes to voting and learning about the process and the people up and down the ballot.
"Being African-American, it's something that hits deep," Smith said. "Just thinking about the generations of your past. My bloodline and everything that my family has been through, and just the fact that we've been turning our heads too long to these issues and they need to be addressed."
"I think using my platform as much as I can is so important," he added.
while pandemic precautions are still in place, we know some of these goals have had to hit the pause button for a while. But smith is already looking ahead to when life returns to normal. He said he's always wanted to spread love by hosting a mommy-son / daddy-daughter dance, and finding a worthy cause to raise money for with that event.
Something else for us to look forward to from him in the months and years ahead.
Contributing: Luke Carter