Lions WR Anquan Boldin and S Glover Quin were among five NFL players to visit Washington Tuesday to talk with lawmakers about how to address police brutality and effect change in their communities.
Both Boldin and Quin talked about their trip to Capitol Hill and the White House with Detroit media Wednesday before practice.
"We need somebody to bring us together. Why not us?" said Boldin when asked what motivated the trip. "For me, I think that's the biggest thing. People not understanding the other side. It's like anything else: If I don't give you an opportunity or sit down and meet with you face to face and understand what you're going through and share my story with you. When you draw a line in the sand, I don't think people are able to hear each other.
The issue of police brutality is a personal one for Boldin.
"I had a cousin killed last year, waiting for roadside assistance, at the hands of an undercover officer. For me, I don't what any family to go through what my family is going through because there's still a lot of unanswered questions we have as a family. Like I said, it's more us just trying to bridge that gap," explained Boldin.
Boldin says he has family members that work in law enforcement, and Tuesday's trip to D.C. was just one small part of attempting to understand what police officers go through when they go to work.
Quin cited the recent protests throughout the NFL as a catalyst for their recent action. He says those protests started an important conversation, and that his conversations with lawmakers in Washington was his way of trying to turn that conversation into actionable change.
"It's a tough issue, but there's some work that's been done and we're committed to continuing that work and we got some good commitments to continue the work with us as well so it's good," said Quin.
Both Quin and Boldin cited their children as big reasons they feel strongly about effecting change in their communities and in their country.
