CINCINNATI — Watching the NFL draft this weekend you may see some new faces announcing a team’s pick.
The NFL has chosen several organizations and fans to do the honor of sharing the team’s picks with the world. One of those people is bringing her organization to the national stage while also taking part in history for her favorite team.
What You Need To Know
- Christie Kuhns grew up a Bengals fan and has lived in Cincinnati her entire life
- As the president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio, she is also passionate about making changes in her community
- Kuhns will announce the Bengals second-round pick in the draft in Detroit on Friday
- Kuhns said she's honored for the moment as a fan and as a nonprofit president
You could say Christie Kuhns is a die-hard Bengals fan. She’s proud to call the Queen City her home.
“I’ve just been raised in 'Who Dey' nation my whole life," Kuhns said. "I’ve continued that with my own children who are huge Bengals fans, amy husband is also. We’re just Bengals through and through. We bleed the orange and black.”
While she cheers for her Bengals on Sundays, during the week she’s busy as the President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio.
“Our mission is really to disrupt generational poverty," Kuhns said. "We do that in a variety of ways. Our workforce development where we’re helping individuals gain entry into thriving careers that make thriving wages.”
The National Urban League is one of the NFL’s social justice grant recipients through Inspire Change, which is how the Bengals came to know Kuhns and asked her to announce the team’s second-round pick.
“I just couldn’t believe it," she said. "I read it a million times just to make sure that I was reading it correctly.”
While Kuhns doesn’t have an eye on any specific player, she just hopes she can say his name correctly.
“My goal is to get the pick with the easiest name to pronounce!” she said.
During the fall she knows her family will have a special interest rooting for this player.
“It will feel like my personal pick, right?" she said. "I’m sure I’ll have a vetted interest in this person’s success. And their success is the success of the team, so I’m excited.”
While it’s a big moment as a fan, it’s also a big moment for the organization to be on the national stage and share their mission.
“For us to have an opportunity to represent that work on a National stage, to represent the organization locally but also the National Urban League movement on a National Urban League movement on a stage and my hometown which I love," Kuhns said. "I’ve been here my whole life. I couldn’t be more excited or proud for this moment.”
Kuhns will announce the second-round draft pick for the Bengals live in Detroit on Friday. It is the 17th pick in the round and the 49th overall pick.