It is no secret that Colin Kapernick puts on for his community, and is dedicated to educating the youth as he continues his fight against injustice towards minorities.
During his recent interview with Paper Magazine, Colin talked about the 2015 incident that helped push forth his role in activism, and also what helped spark the idea of his Know Your Rights Camp.
Months before he started kneeling during the National Anthem, Colin and his girlfriend Nessa started discussing ideas for a camp, which later became known as the Know Your Rights Camp. Colin said, “The discussion happened shortly after the execution of Mario Woods.”
Stay Connected
Subscribe to updates from The Shade Room
Five San Francisco officers killed Mario Woods on December 2, 2015, and his death deeply affected Colin, who was playing for the San Francisco 49ers at the time.
Nessa recalls that if Colin wasn’t reading his playbooks, he was soaking up knowledge from various history books. The books were able to help Colin develop the curriculum for his camp.
The KYRC was developed for African American youth, between the ages of 12-18 as it helps “to gain legal knowledge for navigating all-too-common violent encounters with police officers and to thrive in the areas of health, education, tech, self-empowerment, and finance. Not only does the camp provide material resources to youth but it also serves as a space where love, joy, courage, and honesty are given room to breathe.”
Since the start of the camp back in 2016, it has traveled to various cities, including Harlem, Miami, Chicago, New Orleans, Amsterdam, and Baltimore.
Reflecting on the impact of the camp, Colin said, “This movement needs all types of people. From athletes to healers to poets and artists to scholars and lawyers, we need everyone to contribute to the struggle. The struggle is affecting all of us. Period.”
Be sure to check out the full feature on Colin Kaepernick and his organization here.
