Kelvin Beachum, Lorenzo Alexander start enrichment series at school in Phoenix

Cardinals right tackle Kelvin Beachum values serving his community and has done so since he signed with Arizona in 2020.

Beachum is a five-time NFLPA Community MVP winner, has worked with food banks throughout his career and spent time with several Cardinals teammates working at UMOM New Day Centers, an organization focused on ending homelessness, on Thanksgiving.

Beachum went on the Adam Schefter Podcast that posted on Tuesday to discuss a new three-part enrichment series with former Cardinal Lorenzo Alexander, where the two will be talking to middle school kids in Phoenix about certain topics that may not be covered in the classroom, like finances and mental health.

The talks are planned for once a month from November-January.

“We just wanted to find a way to do something in the inner city,” Beachum said. “Started thinking about ways to pour into them. So talking about financial literacy, and that’s something that young people don’t talk about a lot in school. Talk about mental health and identity and what that looks like on a daily basis considering some of the challenges they are going through.

“We wanted to make sure that these young people can relate to us. In a lot of instances, we came from similar backgrounds … It was not only challenging but eye-opening for some of these young people that yes, we made money playing football but we came from similar backgrounds.”

Financial literacy was discussed this month, mental health is next and entrepreneurship is the topic in January.

Beachum said he had two pairs of pants and one pair of shoes growing up and that he does not forget where he comes from.

The lineman said he wants to continue to find ways to help others after his retirement from football, which the 33-year-old said will come when the league moves on from him or his play dips beyond his standard.

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