Former 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick sits yet another season without getting to play for an NFL team. However, his commitment to activism off the field is enduring, especially the ‘Know Your Rights’ campaign, which he founded back in 2015 when he was still playing for the Niners.
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During her recent episode on the ‘Nessa Off Air’ podcast (Houston Edition), Nessa, Colin’s longtime girlfriend, interviewed the former NFL star and dove deep into the ‘Know Your Rights’ campaign. Nessa asked Colin how it all came to place and why he started this campaign, which has grown significantly in the last 9 years.
Colin revealed that the campaign started right after the tragic ‘execution’ of Mario Woods in San Francisco. This occurred on Dec. 2, when the 26-year-old man was shot over 20 times by the police, after allegedly matching a description of an assailant, who was part of a knife attack. Following this tragic incident, racial tension intensified in San Francisco. At that very moment, Colin and Nessa discussed how they could advocate for change.
Colin, with a goal in mind, soon funded and built this program from the ground up, which aims to stop racial injustice, especially from the police. The question they initially posed was: “What can we do to try to help black people get home safe?” The easiest solution? The campaign’s goal was to educate people on legal rights, with the hope that this could help people of color reach home safely.
This was the initial aim of the campaign, but they decided to expand it in all sorts of ways with other programs. It started teaching people about the history and then legal rights, which will help them tackle complex situations in their respective states and regions. Moreover, the “Know Your Rights” campaign also aspires to teach people of color about higher education, tech, holistic health, and financial self-defense.
Colin might be the face of ‘Know Your Campaign’ but it took a team bigger than him and Nessa to create a multitude of programs, which has made a very big impact on the community.
Nessa Is Fighting Her Own Fight Alongside Colin Kaepernick
A clip of the recent podcast was shared on Instagram, where Nessa noted how Colin has become so busy helping the communities around the country. She voiced her gratitude and shared how Colin’s commitment continues to uplift the ones in need.
Nevertheless, when Nessa isn’t busy co-hosting these events alongside her boyfriend, she hosts an esteemed podcast, ‘Nessa On Air’, where she has featured guests from a diverse range of backgrounds. Very recently, she hosted award-winning CMO Bozoma Saint John, who shared her insights on ‘Work’ and encouraged viewers to shift from ‘We did this’ to ‘I did this’ — of course, only when it’s this exact situation.
Nessa also featured guests like singer Melanie Fiona, journalist Kim Osorio, Dr. Uma Naido, author Sowmya Krishnamurthy, rapper Pardison Fontaine, and several others.
While the spotlight is often noticed on celebrity couples, it hasn’t been the same case for Nessa and Colin. Despite their efforts to fight racism and help people in need, they have been constantly avoided by the mainstream media. However, this didn’t deter their momentum, and it’s safe to say; it’s not happening anytime soon.
