Alabama A&M QB Aqeel Glass - LN '17 Uses his Voice to Fight Social Injustice

Aqeel Glass: I’ve been talking with our (athletic director) and the heads of our university and seeing how we can do better, how we can do more. I understand we’re an HBCU, but just using my platform as much as possible to spread awareness and hopefully bring about change. Everyone has been receptive of everything we’ve said. We’ve delegated a few people from each of the sports teams and now we have meaningful conversations about it, just asking how we feel about it, what do you think we could do better as a university.

Glass: Around the time of George Floyd, we marched in downtown Huntsville. COVID has prohibited us from doing a lot of things, but we try to do as much as possible.

Glass: That’s a key point for me. Whether I was in athletics or not, I feel that everybody should be treated equally, no matter what, but being a prominent face on campus factors into it a lot. When I speak, people actually listen to what I have to say.

Glass: I think they see me as a leader. I’m not always the most vocal, but I always strive to lead by example. I’ve been trying to use my words more, and I’ve always tried to use my words wisely. Not trying to say anything that would tick anybody off, but just being able to express my feelings in the right way.

Glass: I do. With social justice, there’s times where you have big outbursts like what’s been happening this last year, where you have a lot of people join the fight. Then you have the down moments when it seems like it’s been put on the back burner, where everybody forgets about it. It’s a matter of taking each day, day by day. Taking each moment one step at a time. Not looking too far ahead, but focusing on the moment at hand. That goes the same way on the football field. You could be up 21 points or you could be down 21 points, but either way, you have to keep fighting and keep applying the same effort, whether you’re up or down, to either come back or stay ahead.

Glass: I can’t point to anything in particular. I always try to use social media as somewhat of a motivation. My dad also says to me that I’m my own brand, so I never try to put anything that’s bad on there or would depict me in a certain way. I always try to depict that upstanding young man to be a great representation of myself and this university.

Glass: My mom and my dad. They both bring different perspectives to the table, but they always come to the common agreement. They’ve always taught me that there’s two things in life that you can learn from everybody: You can learn what to do and what not to do. Those two have always kept me on the right track and kept me grounded and supported me in anything I’ve ever wanted to do. They’re the biggest reason that I am where I am today and I’m the person that I am today.

Glass: When I was younger, it was Peyton Manning, just the way he carried himself on the field and off the field. Recently, it has to be Deshawn Watson. I looked up to him a lot. He wears the same number as me, and he’s a guy I’ve always tried to emulate. His leadership abilities and his calm, cool and collected demeanor.

Glass: I try not to let news events sway my emotions, but I was upset and disgusted. If the shoe was on other foot, the incident would have been completely different. One of the craziest things that has happened in my lifetime. It really got to me. We set up in the family room as a family and had a good two- or three-hour conversation. It was one of those things you’re never gonna forget. It’s gonna be in history books 10 or 20 years from now, and you’re gonna be like, ‘Oh, wow! I lived through that.’

Glass: That was huge. For them to sacrifice what they have and the things they have going for themselves, it’s amazing to think they’re willing to give that all up for others to see how truly unjust this nation really is.

Glass: I think it’s huge, because a lot of times the people who look at us as athletes, especially professional athletes, the everyday African American might think that ‘They don’t really care about us, they have all this money, they don’t have any problems.’ But for them to put themselves in the shoes of others and show them that they’re still human, too, is huge for the fight.

Glass: It’s huge, especially for young women, anyone of color, honestly, to just see that and for them to have that same dream. Usually young African American men and women are kind of programmed to think the only way to make it out is to be an athlete or an entertainer. For them to see that there are people in very high roles that look just like them is huge. They can see that it’s not only just about sports and entertainment. You can be a doctor, you can be a governor, you can be a vice president, you can be THE president. You can do whatever you set your mind to.

Glass: It was very powerful. Just to hear those words and the emotion that she spoke them with is just amazing.

Glass: Honestly, I would say, actually try. There’s been plenty of presidents and politicians who have come into office and just talked about it. But you can’t just talk about it, you gotta be about it. I think he has a very solid plan in place, and I would say just follow through with it.

ANC: What’s next for you? Are there any other social justice/equal rights activities on your calendar?

Glass: As far as social justice, use my platform during the season to try and promote that as much as possible. All of my preparation has been toward the season, so as far as marches and stuff, it’s been hard to get out and do that. But I plan to use my platform to bring light and justice to that. As far as athletics, I have two more seasons left. Right now, it looks like I have a tangible opportunity to play at the next level, so I’m trying to use these next two years to sharpen my skills and get myself ready to play at the next level.