Colin Kaepernick eschewed conventions in the conservative space of professional football and continued to protest America’s treatment of Black people in 2017. In the first interview conducted after reporters noticed Kaepernick sitting on the bench during the National Anthem in 2016, the quarterback stated “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” Despite widespread public scrutiny and risking job security in a sport he loved for the majority of his life, Kaepernick continued his protest this year and expanded his work by supporting grassroots organizations focused on Black communities.
Celebrity Photos of The Week: Dec. 3 - Dec. 9
See Diddy, Mary J Blige, Gabrielle Union, Yara Shahidi, Yvonne Orji, Queen Latifah, Jordin Sparks and more celebrity pics of the week.