BY: TAINAYA NASH
Colin Kaepernick is the new face of Nike's ‘Just Do It' 30th anniversary ad campaign and a lot of people have something to say about it.
Kaepernick started protesting at his football games in 2016, when he took a seat during the national anthem at the 49ers pre-season game. However, Kaepernick found it to be more appropriate to take a knee during the anthem after discussing with Nate Boyer, a U.S. army veteran. Boyer suggested that Kaepernick take a knee, instead of sitting, to show respect to all of the men and women who serve America.
Taking a knee during the national anthem was Kaepernick's way of using his platform to speak up about the mistreatment of Black people in America.
View this post on Instagram
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt
"Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything," says Kaepernick as he turns to face the camera. These iconic words has gotten a lot of people talking. Kaepernick is someone who not only walks the walk, but talks the talk.
He believed in something and not only did he stand up for what he believed in he sacrificed everything he had for it. Once Kaepernick became a free agent in 2017 he was allegedly blackballed and unable to get signed onto another team.
Kaepernick received a lot of backlash about his protest, which is why certain people are outraged about the new Nike ad.
All across the country people are boycotting Nike by throwing away their Nike products. Some have even resorted to burning their (already purchased) items. Ben Zhan lll, a white Louisiana mayor, went as far as banning Nike products from booster clubs!
It is clear that many people do not support Nike's ad, but numbers say otherwise as Nike's sales have gone up 31% since the Kaepernick campaign.
In addition to Nike sales going up, Kaepernicks' ‘IMWITHKAP' jerseys have been released for pre-sale. The prices for the jerseys are somewhat steep if your a college student. A youth jersey is $99.99 and an adult jersey is  $174.99.
But 20% of the proceeds go to the Know Your Rights Camp, so if you have the money why not do it for the culture?
