On Thursday, Sports Illustrated announced Colin Kaepernick as the recipient of the 2017 Muhammad Ali Legacy Award.
Kaepernick made national headlines back in 2016 when he decided to take a knee during the national anthem, which was his way of making a statement for inequality and injustices against those of color.
Although his position within the NFL has changed, his role in activism continues to grow and his message strengthens day by day.
Each year, Sports Illustrated and the family of the late Muhammad Ali come together to “honor a figure who embodies the ideals of sportsmanship, leadership, and philanthropy and has used sports as a platform for changing the world.”
Loni Ali, the widow of Muhammad Ali spoke about honoring Kaepernick with this prestigious award. She said, “Like Muhammad, Colin is a man who stands on his convictions with confidence and courage, undaunted by the personal sacrifices he has had to make to have his message heard. And he has used his celebrity and philanthropy to the benefit of some of our most vulnerable community members.”
Previous recipients of the award include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Jim Brown.
Colin Kaepernick will receive the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award on December 5th at the Sportsperson of the Year Awards.
Source: https://www.si.com/sportsperson/2017/11/30/colin-kaepernick-muhammad-ali-legacy-award
