COLUMBUS (WCMH) – There are moments in life that you remember exactly where you were when they happened or you found out. For professional goalkeeper Zack Steffen, most of them happened when he was standing on a soccer field.
Then there is May 25, 2020.
“I was in Düsseldorf with my sister, my younger sister,” said Zack. “Then a lot of texts and videos came through.”
These texts and videos were about a man named George Floyd who died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer.
“I saw the first 30 seconds of the video, read the headline and knew that he had died,” said Steffen. “And I haven’t seen everything until today, nothing for more than 30 seconds.”
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We all remember the aftermath of George Floyd’s death: protests in the United States sparked off and even made their way around the world.
“There were protests everywhere. My sister and I protested in Düsseldorf, ”he said. “It gives me the chills now just to talk about it.”
But that wasn’t enough for Steffen.
So he called his best friend and former Columbus crewmate, Alex Crognale.
“This conversation was difficult because there are so many emotions going on, but the most important thing was what we can do.” Said Crognale.
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“It was definitely difficult to be so far away, but because I was across the pond,” explained Steffen. “That drove me to create VOYCENOW and do something other than protest.”
“VOYCENOW is a gathering of professional athletes around the world who are fighting for racial equality, inspiring the next generation, setting them up for success and teaching them to keep making a difference,” said Crognale.
“We want to reach as many children as possible in America, especially those who are underprivileged in the harsh communities. We want to reach these children and help them, ”said Steffen. “We raised over $ 100,000 in the first year.”
One project that uses money is a minority education fund. Steffen and Crognale quickly saw at the height of COVID-19 how children in underserved communities were in dire need of tools to help with virtual learning.
“We help them give laptops and study hours and after school program and 2 meals a day for the kids in these clubs. We are currently working with the Boys and Girls Club of America in seven major cities, ”said Steffen.
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One of these cities is Columbus – Crognale’s hometown and a place that is special to Steffen, even if it is thousands of kilometers away.
“For me, Columbus was my second home. I had an incredible three years there and yes, these people are forever in my heart, ”he said. “I love Columbus and it was very important that we give something back to this city.”
Steffen said he definitely cheered his former soccer team on when they won the MLS Cup last year.
“I was a little jealous!” he exclaimed. “But no, it was really great to see and I was really happy for you, but the city of Columbus and the fans deserved it most. All of your hard work really came to fruition. I mean, it was almost like a fairytale ending and they deserved it: the players deserved it, the club deserved it. When I could watch from a distance I was very happy for everyone and I was proud to say that I represented the crew. “
Now Steffen represents Manchester City – the newly crowned Premier League Champions.
And the team is about to play the UEFA Champions League title: the most-watched single game every year.
“I’m very excited. It hasn’t hit me yet. Maybe it won’t hit me until I go out to warm up that day, or maybe it’ll hit me when we train there on Friday, Friday evening. Maybe it’ll hit me then,” said Steffen, who will not be the only member of the US men’s national team to play for the title, while Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic is on the other side.
“It’s very good for US football,” said Steffen. “It’s crazy that two players from PA are doing this and doing it so soon. I never thought I would do that when I was 26. I’ve had dreams and aspirations to do it, but it’s pretty crazy that it is actually a reality and I’m just trying to enjoy it all this week. “
Since Steffen continues to have success in his football career, he knows that his platform will continue to rise – and he takes on the additional responsibility of not only expressing his thoughts and feelings, but also encouraging others to do so. This led to the unique spelling of VOYCENOW.
“We put the ‘Y’ there because for ‘you’ – everyone has a voice and we think we should all use our voices to make the next generation, to make the world a better place for the next generation to do, “he explained. “I believe no matter how big your platform is, you have to use your voice, or you should use your voice to make the world a better place.”
More information about VOYCENOW can be found at: https://www.voycenowfoundation.org/
