As NFL Season Kicks Off, Civil and Human Rights Group Supports Those Who #KneelAgainstInjustice

WASHINGTON – The Leadership Conference Education Fund released a new video to show solidarity with athletes who continue to kneel in protest of racial injustice. The video recognizes the protest and patriotism that these athletes are demonstrating in raising concerns about racial inequality, mass incarceration, and other criminal justice issues that continue to disproportionately affect communities of color.

“We lift up the players who continue to kneel against injustice and demand a country where everyone can be safe and protected,” said Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference Education Fund. “These athletes are using their platforms in an unorthodox way, to spread the message against police brutality and mass incarceration, and to advocate for criminal justice reform – a key priority for our organization. The NFL and the players association should support athletes who use their platform to push for a more perfect union.”

The video juxtaposes iconic civil rights movement moments alongside Colin Kaepernick’s take-a-knee protest to illustrate and contextualize his activism in the long history of nonviolent protest to advance civil rights for marginalized people in America.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, The Education Fund’s sister organization, signed a letter to the NFL spearheaded by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in June regarding the national anthem protest. That letter can be found here.

View the full video here.

The Leadership Conference Education Fund builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. The Education Fund’s campaigns empower and mobilize advocates around the country to push for progressive change in the United States. It was founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. For more information on The Education Fund, visit http://leadershipconferenceedfund.org/.