49ers pledge $1 million to organizations fighting 'racial and economic inequity'
The relationship between the San Francisco 49ers and Colin Kaepernick was on shaky ground earlier this year, after the quarterback requested a trade. Then in theory Kaepernick put the Niners in a tough spot when his national anthem protest became a hot topic on every sports and news outlet.
But the 49ers must feel Kaepernick is sincere and believe in what he’s protesting – the continued injustices for African-Americans and other people of color in the United States – because on Thursday the team announced it was matching Kaepernick’s $1 million donation pledge and had already chosen the organizations that will receive the money.
In a statement, team CEO Jed York said:
“Today, I am committing that the 49ers Foundation will contribute $1 Million to the cause of improving racial and economic inequality and fostering communication and collaboration between law enforcement and the communities they serve here in the Bay Area.
“We are partnering with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation in this effort. We have chosen to work with these two organizations because they have proven track records of effecting change in the face of challenging problems and have the collective reach to make the greatest impact. Silicon Valley Community Foundation is the largest community foundation in the world, managing $7.3 billion in assets and more than 1,800 philanthropic funds globally. The San Francisco Foundation has served the people of the Bay Area since 1948, almost as long as the 49ers franchise. We are excited to work with these two renowned foundations over the coming months to develop a giving plan to help our community find unifying solutions to these pressing issues.”
In addition to donating $1 million of his salary, Kaepernick is also pledging the money he makes from merchandise sales – his jersey has become the best-seller on nfl.com – to organizations working to combat racial injustice.
Kaepernick came under fire by many for the method of his protest – he initially sat on the 49ers’ bench during the anthem but last week took a knee – with many saying the 28-year-old was being disrespectful toward military members. The cacophony about how he was expressing his beliefs initially drowned out the reason why he was protesting. But now, hopefully, the conversation will turn toward the difficult conversations that must be had to affect change.
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