Free-agent Colin Kaepernick has started a relief fund for black and brown communities devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic virus via his organization Know Your Rights Camp.
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and civil rights activist revealed that he has already donated $100,000 to the fund, writing to his 2.2 million Twitter followers:
"Structural racism makes Black & Brown ppl more likely to die from #COVID19. We've launched the Know Your Rights Camp COVID-19 Relief Fund to directly impact the disproportionate effect #coronavirus is having on our communities. #WeGotUs
"Donate at: knowyourrightscamp.com/covid19"
Watch Kaepernick's video plea below:In the video, which was posted on his social media accounts Thursday, Kaepernick explains his reasoning for the incredible fund, saying: "Black and brown communities are being disproportionately devastated by COVID-19 because of hundreds of years of structural racism.
"That’s why we’ve established the Know Your Rights Camp COVID-19 Relief Fund to help address these issues. We need each other now more than ever."
Per Associated Press, New York City's Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke out about racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths earlier this month during a City Hall briefing.
As reported by the AP, preliminary data has indicated that black people account for 28% of the city’s COVID-19 death toll, despite being just 22% of the city’s population. And Hispanic people account for 34% of the city's virus death toll and are 29% of its population.
Mayor de Blasio said of these figures: "We’re seeing folks who have struggled before really being hit particularly hard. [...] It’s sick. It's troubling. It's wrong. And we are going to fight back with everything we’ve got."
Related - This reporter was praised for her 'myth-busting' opening monologue explaining how COVID-19 does not effect everybody equally:Similar statistics have also been reported elsewhere in the country.
Per the Washington Post, black people in Michigan account for 41% of the COVID-19 death toll, despite black residents making up just 14% of the state's population.
The Know Your Rights Camp website writes how "structural racism" is "causing disproportionate outcomes for black and brown people", explaining:
"HOUSING: Black and Brown people are less likely to own homes and are more likely to live in densely populated areas limiting their ability to practice social distancing.
"EMPLOYMENT: Black and Brown people work service jobs at a much higher rate than white people. This leads to higher social interaction and increases their likelihood of being exposed to the virus.
"TRANSPORTATION: Black and Brown people are less likely to own cars and more likely to use public transportation meaning exposure to more people in smaller areas."
As of this writing, $160,387 has been raised via the relief fund. For more information and to donate, click HERE.
