OAKLAND – This is why Colin Kaepernick braves through the insults and criticism. This is why he doesn’t mind carrying the weight that comes with speaking out. This moment right here. This day. This impact.
“The work we put in is here,” Kaepernick said Saturday, describing the rush he got standing on stage, absorbing the hope in the eyes of the youth seated before him. “The fact that the kids were here and they’re excited, that meant a lot. To see how attentive the kids were and how engaged they were. To me that was powerful.”
It is the 49ers’ bye week. But he didn’t escape to some fancy vacation spot, which might be needed after the 49ers’ woeful start. Instead, Kaepernick was on Broadway in the Uptown district of Oakland. Working.
He put in a good eight-hour shift at the event he, his girlfriend – nationally syndicated radio host Nessa Diab – “and my homies” have been working on for about six months. That’s right, before his protest of the national anthem went public. Some 100 youth from about 19 organizations across the Bay Area convened at Impact Hub Oakland for what they called “Know Yours Rights Camp.”
As Kaepernick sat in a workshop with young people taking notes about financial inclusion, and stood in the back of a class on college options, his heart was revealed. As he flashed a warm smile and embraced guests early in the morning, and emphasized thank yous with focused eyes and a hand over his heart, his sincerity was obvious.
There is no denying how much this cause means to him. And when you see how much he means to the people, it is nearly impossible not to respect what he is doing.
His protest may have prompted hateful reactions, but on display Saturday was love. He has been vilified and demonized for his perceived disrespect for America, but what was evident on Saturday was the kind of humanity that redeems the country.
“He cares. I can just tell,” said A.J. Gilbert, 14, a freshman at Albany High School. “He’s not one of those conceited stars.”
What we are witnessing is a sports star morphing into a cultural lion. Kaepernick is establishing a legacy so much greater than touchdown passes. He has become a reluctant icon in a decentralized movement, the hesitant face of an uprising that will define a generation.
This passion of his cost him his public reputation and millions of dollars in endorsement opportunities. It may end up costing him longevity in his football career. He is even prepared for the possibility it could cost him his life.
But that is why he has gained so many hearts.
Poverty is consuming. Systemic oppression has a way of suppressing hope and devouring worth. But Kaepernick is inspiring a community of disenfranchised simply by valuing it enough to join it.
“I know what my purpose is,” Kaepernick said. “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.”
Kapernick has aligned himself with millions who feel disparaged, validating their value. He has joined the fight of youth workers and advocates who are grinding for change on limited resources, refreshing their zeal. He is continuing the work of activists who have exhausted their strength in the struggle, continuing their sacrifice.
Saturday, no one cared the 49ers had a 1-6 record. No one disliked Kaepernick for his 46 percent completion percentage and a passer rating (66.2) that is half of Tom Brady’s.
This was bigger than football. That was evident in those who still wore their No. 7 jersey proudly.
“He speaks for me,” San Francisco middle schooler Dayvon Hann, 12, wearing his three-week-old Kaepernick jersey. “He is just a good person who helps a lot of people.”
The event had all the staples of the usual athlete community outreach: free food, photo opportunities with the star, a backpack to go. But this “Know Yours Rights Camp” — which was described by one planner as Kaepernick’s baby — was anything but the typical athlete production.
He was involved from planning to execution. A series of workshops and speakers, selected by Kaepernick, covered nutrition and health, financial knowledge, higher education options, law enforcement history and police interaction advice, and love for self and community.
One kid was so disappointed to see chicken nuggets on the list of bad foods. Another asked about establishing good credit early. At the end, one questioner asked Kaepernick why he doing this now.
The event t-shirt had 10 rights listed on the back. It was an homage to the Black Panther Party’s 10-point platform.
Speaking of which, Kaepernick met Ericka Huggins, a former leading member of the Black Panther Party. He became the adoring youth.
“I had to get a hug and shake her hand and say thank you,” Kaepernick said, still giddy from their lengthy chat.
As a parting treat, each student received a certificate for free DNA testing from Ancestry.com so they could learn their country of origin and get a better understanding of their identity. They also got a copy of the Autobiography of Malcolm X, the same book that sparked Kaepernick’s current passion.
What was not there Saturday? No throng of media making this a big story and watercooler fodder. No corporate sponsors, or their representatives force-fed into the program. Not even social justice organizations, such as Black Lives Matter or the NAACP, could claim ownership of this event.
That was intentional. It jibes with the point Kaepernick has made all along — that this wasn’t about him getting attention, or getting back on the field. It was always about this moment right here. This day. This impact.
“If people say his motives are selfish, they have a right to their opinion,” said Ameer Loggins, a Ph.D candidate at UC Berkeley. “But his actions contradict their assumptions. And as long as his actions are genuine and pure, and the people get that and are receiving his time and effort, that’s what matters.”
