The Los Angeles Rams honor Los Angeles City College Student Natalie Goodliffe as one of their 2023 pLAymakers
The Rams are not just serious about making it to the end zone, they are also serious about making sure their community members are scoring touchdowns as well!
To honor the individuals who serve our community every day, and honor the memory of Kenny Washington (#13), the Los Angeles Rams created the pLAymakers program which celebrates 13 Angelenos who are committed to moving our city forward and have demonstrated true perseverance in the face of adversity.
Los Angeles City College is full of students working hard to change their lives through the power of education and many of them face adversity daily overcoming lack of housing or food security, economic hardship, and managing family priorities. One of these students recognized the need she saw in other students and decided to take action.
Natalie Goodliffe is a dynamic and dedicated student at Los Angeles City College (LACC) studying video game design. Her work ethic is strong both in her studies and in supporting her peers. At two years old Natalie was diagnosed with autism, and at ten she was placed in the foster care system. She bounced between homes until she aged out of extended foster care at age twenty-one and was placed in a group home. Natalie’s experience struggling for belonging and basic needs gave her a deep compassion for those who have similar stories.
At LACC, Natalie has found the resources she needs to succeed, and she does everything she can to make sure her peers do the same. Natalie can often be found volunteering at the pop-up pantry which provides groceries to LACC students on Mondays or helping in Cubby’s Closet, a clothing closet set up by LACC Associated Student Government where students can go and get one new outfit every week.
The Los Angeles Rams honored Natalie as a 2023 pLAymaker for her perseverance, dedication to the LACC community, and bravery in the face of adversity. In honor of Natalie, the Rams donated $5,000 to support Cubby’s Closet and in partnership with the Rams, PacSun will donate $57,000 worth of clothing for LACC students.
Dr. Lisa Nashua, Executive Director of the Los Angeles City College Foundation, said, “The Los Angeles City College Foundation and community are grateful to the Rams for honoring Natalie and Cubby’s Closet in this incredible way. Natalie is so deserving of this spotlight, she is constantly going above and beyond to serve LACC students. The donations made in honor of Natalie from the Rams and Pac Sun are going to have a direct impact on our students. Feeling confident and comfortable in class makes a huge difference on our students’ ability to learn and succeed.”
At the Rams home game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, December 17, Natalie and the other Rams 2023 pLAymakers will be honored on the field during the game, and their collective messages of working towards a better Los Angeles will be lifted up and highlighted for Rams fans everywhere.
The Los Angeles Rams Inspire Change: Launched in 2019, Inspire Change is a league-wide platform that focuses on reducing barriers to opportunity and creating progress in education, economic advancement, community and police relations, and criminal justice reform. The Los Angeles Rams Inspire Change efforts aim to create solutions that address community barriers and highlight stories and moments in Rams’ history that have inspired change on and off the field. From Kenny Washington and Woody Strode breaking the NFL color barrier by signing with the Rams in 1946 to former Rams Legend Shack Harris becoming the first Black quarterback to win a playoff game in 1974, the Rams are committed to pioneering with a purpose.
