Raised by his mother and grandmother, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin created Shelice’s Angels to provide opportunities and experiences for young women to reach their full potential.
Zaire Franklin's upbringing was far from ordinary. Upon entering the NFL, he immediately knew how he wanted to use his professional platform to give back.
The Indianapolis Colts linebacker was raised by his mother and grandmother in Philadelphia. His mother passed away from a brain tumor when he was 16 years old, while his grandmother passed away two months later.
Franklin, 28, used his influence in the league to kickstart his own nonprofit, Shelice's Angels, in 2019 -- a foundation named after his mother.
“When I got to the NFL, I think the biggest thing for me was just trying to give back to all the things that they (Franklin's grandmother and mother) poured into me,” Franklin told NBC. "So that was pretty much … why just supporting young women in the communities that I live in means so much to me."
Franklin saw an opportunity to empower young women and connect them to resources they might not have previously accessed, all while tapping into his passion for business. In one of his first initiatives, Franklin organized a visit for 10 mentees to the Google headquarters in New York City, giving them the chance to experience its sophisticated work culture.
As a Syracuse finance graduate, Franklin also arranged meetings with executives from the Sixers organization, allowing the girls to view unique sports business opportunities.
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Franklin shared that the most rewarding aspect of the initiative is witnessing the growth of young women in such a "male-dominated society.”
"Sometimes, I feel like the young women in our community are overlooked and in need of extra support for opportunities," he said. "Just hearing that my program has helped instill confidence in them and inspired them to chase their dreams motivates me to continue empowering young women."
Moving forward, Franklin aims to expand his mentorship program and inspire the young women he has worked with across 29 states to return and mentor the next generation. Eventually, he envisions incorporating a school scholarship component to further support and empower these young girls.
In the meantime, Franklin remains a key part of the Colts’ (4-4) defense. In the 2024 season, he has compiled a league-leading 87 total tackles and added two forced fumbles.
Franklin was drafted by the Colts in 2018 and is currently in the last season of a three-year contract worth up to $31.3 million.
