Fil Am Cam Bynum Spreads Football and Faith
/
(Photo by Ali Rusco)
“You’re kind of naive to different cultures and ways of life growing up, thinking that it’s just the way your family is,” Cam Bynum said in an interview with AsAmNews. “So it really took me till I got older to realize, okay, certain things are, you know, quote, unquote, ‘Filipino things.’”
The 27-year-old recently wrapped up his first year in Indianapolis after spending four years with the Minnesota Vikings, who took him in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Bynum, who was named a Pro Bowl alternate in December alongside four of his Colts teammates, tallied 81 total tackles this year with a career-best four interceptions.
And while the celebrations that accompany those picks have gone viral on social media, Bynum has also made sure that his multicultural background has received the same spotlight.
Mom Jennifer Bynum said connection was at the forefront of those visits up north, which would last for weeks at a time with dozens of relatives packed into one house.
“I raised my kids to embrace their culture, to celebrate their Filipino heritage openly and proudly,” she told AsAmNews. “They’ve been proud of where they came from, whether it was their African American heritage or their Filipino culture.”
(Photo by Alli Rusco)
She said those familial ties influenced her son’s decision to go from Corona Centennial High School to the University of California, where he played for four years before being drafted by Minnesota with the 125th overall pick.
“He knew he’d have the biggest support system [at Cal], which was amazing,” Jennifer Bynum added. “The best decision he always said he made was going to Cal because he had his family there, and he [knew] he can go to auntie’s house or go hang with his cousins.”
Those visits also planted seeds of service in each of the Bynum children, beginning with garage sales to help Bay Area families in need.
“My husband and I always wanted our kids to understand God blessed us, so we’re going to, in turn, bless others,” Jennifer Bynum added. “Even if we didn’t have the funds to do it, we were going to do it by serving. … It just carried on into their adult lives.”
Cam and Jennifer took a mission trip to the Philippines in the summer of 2022. The visit was part of an effort with Cam’s wife’s church to help victims of a landslide in the wake of Typhoon Agaton.
It was through that visit that Cam Bynum saw another value he learned from his Filipino family members: resilience.
“[The residents] lost everything, and seeing how happy they still were, and seeing how nobody was looking at this situation feeling bad for themselves, it was always how can I still help my community? How can I still help people still having a smile on their face and still grateful to God that they’re alive?” he said. “That’s one thing that I’ve seen that stuck with me forever. And when I [came] back to the States, I had a whole different mindset, like, ‘Wow, I have nothing to complain about in my life. There’s nothing that can bring them down. So why should I be walking around here in the U.S. with the great life that I have?’”
“I think that that changed me more than anything,” he added.
That trip was just the beginning for the Bynum Faith Foundation, Cam and his mother’s charitable non-profit. Having reached 501(c)(3) status in 2023, it seeks to provide underserved communities in the U.S. and Philippines with food, funds, football and faith.
“When we tell them that God loves them, we tell them that we love them, there’s action and work behind it that makes people actually feel love,” Cam Bynum said. “So I think the whole time with the foundation has been a blessing.”
(Photo by Alli Rusco)
The Bynum Faith Foundation has served six provinces in the Philippines, from feeding families in Tondo, Manila, to helping fire victims in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. Among their recent efforts was last year’s “Baybay Boat Project,” where they, along with the New Life Tacloban, built pump boats for three local fishermen and their families.
“Nothing beats leading by example,” Jennifer Bynum said.
While Cam works through the grind of an NFL season, Jennifer, Cam’s wife Lalaine, and the Bynum Faith Foundation continue to organize community outreach events across both countries. Jennifer said that in addition to five core board members, the group relies on 20-40 volunteers to help hundreds of residents in need, including those from their first Philippines trip nearly four years ago.
“We’re able to help them every single year and always show up to make sure that it wasn’t just a one-time thing,” Cam Bynum added. “It’s cool to be able to see the growth.”
During his offseasons, the veteran safety retreats to the Philippines, further immersing himself in the Filipino culture. He said he “gets the best of both worlds” between a fast life in the U.S. and a more relaxed period abroad, which eventually allows him to be “more present” on the field.
He has also taken the time to welcome Filipinos to train with him: “It’s terrible training alone. … They helped me [by] having training partners, but I’m able to help bring knowledge, and more football opportunities out there for them to compete and train and learn.”
Chief among those opportunities is “Camp Beezy,” which began in 2023 to grow flag football in the country and develop young athletes into worldwide competitors. The work has taken on new importance as of late, with flag football becoming an official sport in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
(Photo courtesy of Cam Bynum)
“Camp Beezy” expanded from one day to three, hosting over 200 young players who compete in tournaments and gain a holistic view of Bynum’s training and routine. The camp has also gone from the Philippines to other Asian countries, with its sixth iteration set for Incheon, South Korea, this coming July.
In addition to “chalk talks” within each position group and sessions that were caught on camera, Bynum’s teammates and coaches used that film to break down players’ skills, offering tips they could implement in games the following day. Players also received massages from 25 masseuses and heard from Bynum’s acupuncturist and physiotherapist, as well as a host of physical therapists.
“It’s not just about performing on the field,” Jennifer Bynum said. “You have to be healthy. You have to treat your body [as] your temple. And that’s what we showed them in [the camp]. It’s like a ‘day in the life of Cam’ in a span of three days.”
She also pointed to a laudable example of the players’ dedication to their craft.
“A few years ago, they called a practice, and I thought it was a typo,” she explained. “They were practicing from literally 10 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. because it was the only time they could get field space. … I’m like, ‘Are you serious? After a long day?’ And they go straight to practice, but they do whatever it takes to get there.”
“Camp Beezy” will make its U.S. debut with an elite youth football showcase, slated for May 23 at Corona Centennial.
The foundation’s other U.S.-based events have included food drives and shopping sprees that further assist local communities and “Filipino Fiestas” that amplify AAPI culture.
Camryn Bynum Hosts Second Annual Filipino Fiesta (Photo by Alli Rusco)
“People are really encouraged by a lot of this stuff, and I think people [are] seeing how strong [AAPI culture] is,” Cam Bynum said. “That’s not a common thing. You say it to a normal person, ‘AAPI Heritage Month,’ not a lot of people would know what that is.”
“But when they see us representing and [being] proud to represent where we come from and and where our family comes from, I think people are always curious about it. And once they start learning more, everybody has good things to say,” he continued. “So I think it’s something that a lot of people need to continue to represent.”
The foundation’s audience grew thanks to the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” initiative, with Cam Bynum sporting the Filipino flag on his cleats starting in 2023.
“For me, I think of stories growing up when I would see Manny Pacquiao fighting and … putting on for the Philippines. And it just brings a great sense of pride for people to be proud that’s where we come from,” he said, adding that the awareness and funds raised from the event go a long way to support the foundation’s efforts.
He called My Cause My Cleats “the most fun time of the year,” mentioning how he’s always performed well every time he’s worn the Filipino-themed footwear.
“[I’ve had] a couple interceptions wearing the cleats now over the course of my career, and I feel like a superhero,” Cam Bynum added. “I feel like I have to do something good in the game just to bring more awareness and give a shout out to the Philippines.”
(Photo courtesy of Cam Bynum)
Bynum’s heroics went viral during his second year, when he grabbed a game-sealing interception against the New York Jets and draped the Filipino flag around him as part of his celebration. He said even the simplest acts can uplift many people.
His own role in that representation has “meant everything” to him, serving as a chance to “play for something bigger than myself” and represent his family and faith.
The Bynum Faith Foundation has served six provinces in the Philippines, from feeding families in Tondo, Manila, to helping fire victims in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
“[The recognition and support from other Filipinos] made me even work harder,” Cam Bynum added. “I’m going into games like thinking about the kids that look up to me, or people that are also playing football that, you know, it’s a dream for them to make it. I’m playing for them—to be able for them to work hard and know that it’s possible for them also.”
When asked about the advice he’d give his younger self about multicultural representation, Cam Bynum responded: “Do it in an authentic way.”
“Just enjoy who God made me to be,” he added. “And see that as my superpower of being able to come from multiple cultures, being able to have flavor on both sides.”
“God made us exactly who we are, and how He made us is not by accident. Enjoy that, and just continue to represent who you are and where you come from.”
Cam Bynum’s ability to champion his Filipino and African American roots is not lost on Jennifer, who highlighted her son’s humility even after his success, saying: “Cam is still Cam.”
“He’s always humble and never too proud to give back, to talk to others, and he’s always been the biggest cheerleader of everybody,” she said. “We never raised our kids to see colors. It’s like we’re one big melting pot in our eyes. … Cam [was] always welcoming everybody, had friends of all nationalities. I’m proud of him for how far he’s come, and his faith in the Lord, too.”
“He never chose between cultures or anything like that,” Jennifer Bynum added. “We do more for people. We’re ‘people’ people. Not just giving back to one culture or the other culture. It’s giving back to everybody, to mankind, [and to] humanity.”
Reposted from AsAmNews, May 19, 2026: https://asamnews.com/2026/05/19/cam-bynum-filipino-heritage-month-indianapolis-colts/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_source_platform=mailpoet&utm_campaign=sitetitle-newsletterposttitle-3
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit Asian American Media Inc and supported by our readers along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AARP, The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation, The Asian American Foundation & Koo and Patricia Yuen of the Yuen Foundation.
