Tyler Spencer

After interning in South Africa with Grassroots Soccer (an HIV/AIDS education program), Tyler realized the need for programming in his own area of Washington, DC, where 1 in every 20 people is HIV-positive—an infection rate that’s nine times the national average. He founded The Grassroot Project, the first not-for-profit to use NCAA college athletes as HIV educators, using sports to empower local at-risk youth with the knowledge, skills, and support to live healthy lives. Thanks to Tyler, 227 college athletes have taught HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention programs to 3,000 students across DC.