Colin Kaepernick receives award from Amnesty International
The embattled athlete is honored for his activism and exceptional courage off the football field
Colin Kaepernick recently received the Ambassador of Conscience Award from Amnesty International for his work on social injustice and racism
Colin Kaepernick has taken a few career hits, but he’s standing proud after receiving the Ambassador of Conscience Award from Amnesty International for his work on social injustice and racism, reports CNN.
On Saturday, Kaepernick celebrated his award for his activism.
“I am here to join with you all in this battle against police violence,” he said at a ceremony in Amsterdam Netherlands.
Standing Tall At All Costs
“The Ambassador of Conscience award celebrates the spirit of activism and exceptional courage, as embodied by Colin Kaepernick,” Salil Shetty, the human rights group’s secretary-general, said in a statement. “He is an athlete who is now widely recognized for his activism because of his refusal to ignore or accept racial discrimination.”
READ MORE: Adidas wants to sign Colin Kaepernick—but only if this one thing happens
Ever since Kaepernick made headlines for kneeling in protest during the national anthem, he has continued his activist streak off the playing field, setting the bar high for other athletes and celebrities to get involved in their communities as well.
Still, Kaepernick has remained shut out of the NFL, leading to accusations that the league has blackballed him because of his #TakeAKnee activism. The protests have been the subject of nationwide debate, prompting even President Donald Trump to weigh in and suggest that any players who kneel during the national anthem should be fired.
This award is a high honor for the football player. Other recipients include Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, U2, Alicia Keys and Ai Weiwei.
Forming Progressive Partnerships
Recently, Adidas said they want to show support for Kaepernick’s activism and they are not “taking advantage of this noise or interest that he had generated.”
“We love athletes that have a platform to make the world a better place,” Adidas President Mark King said.
Kaepernick’s silent kneel during the national anthem has rubbed NFL owners the wrong way and many critics feel the talented QB has been blackballed from playing in the league.
But Adidas, on the other hand, seems to be eager to help Kaepernick further his social causes.
“If they’re an activist in a way that brings attention to something that moves the world forward, even if there’s controversy at that moment, we’re really interested in those athletes because I think it represents the world today,” King said.
READ MORE: White folks already complaining about ONE AFTERNOON of closed Starbucks for bias training
“To me, this is something that has to change,” Kaepernick said in an August 2016 interview. “And when there’s significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll stand.”
Congrats Kaepernick. We hope this award aids you in getting back on the playing field.
