Former Seahawk to share inspirational life story in Yakima, Ellensburg

Central Washington University, the Rotary Club of Yakima, and their community partners will welcome former Seattle Seahawks player Shaquem Griffin on February 12-13 to share his experiences about how he overcame a lifelong disability and earned his place in the National Football League.

The speaking engagements in Yakima and Ellensburg are co-sponsored by the Opportunities Industrialization Centers (OIC) of Washington and Eric Silvers State Farm Insurance.

Griffin’s visit will begin Wednesday, February 12, with an appearance at the Yakima Rotary luncheon. He will then meet with young leaders of color at the OIC of Washington headquarters in the afternoon before attending a dinner event at the Henry Beauchamp Community Center.

On Thursday, February 13, CWU will welcome Griffin to the Ellensburg campus as part of its Black History Month celebration. The speaking engagement in the SURC Ballroom begins at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and no tickets or RSVP are required.

“We are honored to welcome Shaquem to our community, and we appreciate our partners at CWU for helping us bring another esteemed guest to Central Washington,” said Erin Black, the Immediate Past President of Yakima Rotary who also serves as Chair of the CWU Board of Trustees.

The Rotary Club of Yakima and CWU have worked together twice in the past year to bring other high-profile speakers to the area. The 2024 Black History Month speaker was Exonerated Five member Raymond Santana, while actor and Chicano artist Cheech Marin visited Yakima and Ellensburg for a similar series of events in October.

Griffin, 29, overcame the loss of his left hand when he was a child to become a fifth-round draft pick by the Seahawks in 2018. The University of Central Florida graduate was born with amniotic band syndrome, which affected the development of his hand and resulted in a surgical amputation when he was 4 years old. He became the first-ever one-handed player in the NFL and won the league’s Game Changer award during his rookie season.

Griffin now works as a consultant for the NFL Legends Community, which helps former professional football players understand the many benefits and resources available to them. He also works as a public speaker, delivering motivational speeches to colleges, Fortune 500 companies, and football programs.

“I enjoy sharing with people how I turned my pain into purpose,” said Griffin, who played with the Seahawks for three seasons and joined the Miami Dolphins before retiring in 2022. “I had to overcome a lot of adversity as a football player, and I endured many emotional hardships along the way. But I had to decide if I was going to allow that pain to manifest inside of me or use it to my advantage. That mindset is what helped me to turn my dreams into reality.”

Despite the loss of his hand, Griffin went on to compete in football, baseball, and track and field at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, Florida, alongside his twin brother Shaquill — himself a former Seahawk who now plays for Minnesota.