Did Kaepernick’s activist girlfriend inspire his support of Black Lives Matter?
According to some reports, it was Colin Kaepernick’s Muslim girlfriend that inspired the 49ers quarterback to sit out the national anthem in protest of those who “are being oppressed.”
Blogger Terez Owens posted about the couple recently.
“As the entire world knows by now, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem in Friday’s pre-season game against Green Bay because he was protesting ‘black oppression’ in the United States. We’re now hearing that it was actually his girlfriend Nessa’s idea for Colin to protest. Colin and his girlfriend, Nessa Diab, an MTV DJ, are still planning an Islamic-style wedding.”
Fox News also looked into the couple and found evidence that seems to show that his “conversion to social activism” happened only after he began dating his girlfriend, DJ Nessa Diab.
Diab has “frequently spoken about perceived racial injustices and ‘Islamaphobia’ in the U.S.”
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https://www.instagram.com/p/BJsjAa5DXw4/
The pair began dating in July of 2015 and it was just after that that Kaepernick’s social media activity began to reflect the “Black Lives Matter and Muslim activism of Diab,”
According to reports, before he began dating Diab, Kaepernick’s social media didn’t show much about him except that he enjoyed playing football and hanging out with friends, but since he began dating Diab, his social media focus has shifted to black nationalist and Black Lives Matter related posts.
“31 of his last 42 posts have strong social justice connotations, often featuring quotes from radical Nation of Islam leader Malcolm X, Black Panthers founder Huey Newton and cop killer Assata Shakur,” says Fox News.
Diab’s social media account has plenty of photos and posts related to her job as a DJ but it also shows her stance as a black rights activist and Islam defender.
She showed support of Kaepernick on Twitter saying, “I’m always proud of him and always will be @Kaepernick7. Please take the time to UNDERSTAND what he is saying.”
I'm always proud of him and always will be @Kaepernick7 . Please take the time to UNDERSTAND what he is saying https://t.co/9813ly7guS
— NESSA (@nessnitty) August 28, 2016
Kaepernick and Diab have donated $60,000 worth of backpacks to children in Harlem and the South Bronx just in time for the new school year to start.
“Having a new backpack to start off the new school year helps give each student a fresh start,” stated Nessa. “When we looked at everything when it comes to supplies, we found backpacks were an investment for most parents. As for the student, we wanted to ensure we found one that could last for more than a year and that was sturdy, durable and versatile for students to use for books, sports equipments or art materials, and traveling.”
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Kaepernick included a video message for the kids since he is away at training camp.
“We must invest in our youth because they are the future leaders of our community,” Kaepernick said in the video. “I want them to know that we appreciate and care for them. In doing so, we must provide all the necessary tools for them to succeed, and I will do whatever I can to ensure we do that as a community.”
Kaepernick has no plans to stand anytime soon during the National Anthem unless “there’s significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent.” He went on to say that when the country begins “representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll stand.”
