(REPOST January 2017) Ten Questions with Professional American Football Player, Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches

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Copyright 2023 by Teofilo Colon Jr (a.k.a. “Tio Teo” or “T.O. Tayo”) for Being Garifuna. All Rights Reserved. Contact Tio Teo.

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January 2017

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Kansas City, Missouri – CommunityAmerica Credit Union presented a special Question and Answer Question with Professional American Football Player of Belizean Garifuna Heritage, Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches. He plays for The Kansas City Chiefs

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A defensive player (he usually played on the Defensive Line as a Defensive Tackle or a Nose Tackle), this session provided the opportunity to learn a little bit about this unique player.

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QUESTIONS for Professional American Football Player, Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches

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You were actually the first player born in Belize to play in the NFL. How Does It Feel To Represent an Entire Country?

You were drafted last year, two years in the league. What Has Been Your Favorite National Football League Moment So Far?

Can You Describe That Moment For Me?

You’re bilingual aren’t you? So what is the other language that you speak?

Can you give me a sentence? An example?

It’s kinda well known now that your nickname around the locker room is Nacho. Can you tell me why?

Now you’re a big fan of baseball. Why is it your favorite second sport?

When you were drafted, you had a conference call with the Kansas City Media, and they asked how are you at baseball? And you said, Phenomenal.

Do you think you can go to Kaufman and hit a few home runs?

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(Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach) Andy Reid has called you in the past, “An Energy Giver” in the Locker Room. What would make him say that?

Now, Football is a long season, but there is an offseason. What is your favorite thing to do in the offseason to pass the time until football season?

De’Anthony Thomas likes fishing. Have you guys ever fished together?

I want to go back to your childhood. Do you remember your first job growing up?

I have to ask you for number 9, the famous question in Kansas City. Have you tried the barbecue a little bit? What is your favorite barbecue place to go to (in Kansas City) and why?

For the Final Question, usually on Ten Questions, we ask the person we are talking to, to pick a new nickname for themselves. You already have a nickname, you’re Nacho. So for you, we’re asking you, what makes the perfect dish for Nachos?

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Below is video of the Question and Answer Session with Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches

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Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches’s Life Story

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It was upon coming across this video, where I first heard about Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches. After learning of him, a Professional American Football Player who is a Garifuna? I wanted to learn more.

So I went to the Internet and started researching. What I learned was that there is so much more to Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches .

His story is both compelling and inspiring.

In a 2014 profile for the Hattiesburg American, it’s explained that Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches was born and raised in Dangriga, Belize. He and his mother, Nancy Nunez, migrated to The United States in the year 2000, when Rakeem was 7 or 8.

Hattiesburg is a town in Mississippi, where Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches went to College. He went to The University of Southern Mississippi.

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They first settled in South Central Los Angeles, then moved to Colorado, then moved to Georgia, then moved to Kentucky, then moved back to Georgia and then finally, Alabama.

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Rakeem and his mother faced hard times in the United States. At times the only roof over their head was the roof of the two seat family car they got around in.

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Throughout High School, Rakeem worked many part time and side jobs to help bring additional income into the household.

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Despite going through hard times themselves, Rakeem’s mother and he came up with an Initiative while he was in Junior High School to benefit those who faced similar difficulty.

The Initiative was called Bookbags for the Homeless and was a way to help those less fortunate than themselves.

Blankets, Clothes, money, canned goods were donated and collected into separate bookbags and handed to local homeless.

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Rakeem’s mother Nancy Nunez was heartened to find out that Rakeem started a similar Initiative while in College, a testament to her influence.

Going through times like that have made them appreciative of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It’s an extra special time of year for them.

Click on this link to learn more about Mr. Rakeem Nunez-Roches’s family background.

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ABOUT The Garifuna People

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