Despite mountains of attention and criticism, as well as the fact that he's found himself the subject of thousands of think-pieces that mostly sound identical, Colin Kaepernick has continued to protest by taking a knee during the National Anthem. The continuing coverage of the 49ers quarterback has led some to question his motivations.
But, at the very minimum, the way Kaepernick spent his bye week should help authenticate the quarterback's dedication to his cause, which of course is an authentication you only needed if you questioned it in the first place. According to The Mercury News, Kaepernick spent his Saturday in Oakland holding down an eight-hour shift to conduct what was called a "Know Yours Rights Camp." The camp was attended by 100+ kids from roughly 19 organizations.
At the event, Kaepernick stated that "I know what my purpose is." He added, "I know what my goal is. My conviction in that is strong enough that it doesn’t matter what anybody says because I know it’s right. And the fact that 100 kids would come out here on a Saturday morning, on their free time to do this, early in the morning, that shows that they believe in this, too."
Kaepernick's role in the event went beyond mere optics, as it was described by a planner as "his baby." Kap was involved with the day's planning and execution, which included "a series of workshops and speakers, selected by Kaepernick, [who] covered nutrition and health, financial knowledge, higher education options, law enforcement history and police interaction advice, and love for self and community."
The t-shirt for the event also feature the following 10 rights listed on the back, which was a nod to the Black Panther Party’s 10-point platform:
Students who attended also left with a certificate for free DNA testing to learn what their country of origin is, as well as a signed copy of Malcolm X's autobiography, which is the book that reportedly ignited Kaepernick's activism.
