At yet another Hollywood awards ceremony where entertainment was eclipsed by politics, NFL quarterback-turned-social justice activist Colin Kaepernick got a special shout-out Monday from one actress at the 2018 Emmys.
“Black-ish” actress Jennifer Lewis chose to wear a Nike sweatshirt to the posh event and made sure that viewers knew why she’d chosen the casual clothing: She was celebrating the brand for its endorsement of the man who started the polarizing national anthem protests.
“I am wearing Nike to applaud them for supporting Colin Kaepernick and his protest against racial injustice and police brutality,” Lewis told the press. After noting that she got some drag queens to help her put some “sparkle” on her outfit, she told Nike, “Thank you for leading the resistance. We need more corporate America to stand up also. These are not dark times, these are awakening times. And we all have to wake up!”
Asked if she had a message for Colin, she said, “Thank you for being brave. Thank you for being courageous. Thank you for taking a knee. Thank you.”
Kaepernick started the anthem protests in preseason 2016 while he was riding the bench for the 49ers. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Media in explanation for why he refused to stand for the anthem. “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.”
Since then, Kaepernick has become a celebrity activist and has repeatedly managed to make headlines, including for praising Fidel Castro, wearing “Pig Cops” practice socks, and getting in an ugly, racially-charged feud with left-wing Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the 49ers after helping lead them to an abysmal 2-14 record. He is currently suing the NFL for alleged collusion among team owners for what he claims is a coordinated effort to keep him out of the league because of his ratings-damaging protest movement.
On September 3, Nike unveiled Kaepernick as the face of its 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign:
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