Free-agent Colin Kaepernick has started a relief fund for black and brown communities devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic virus via his organization <a href="https://www.knowyourrightscamp.com/covid19" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-rapid-elm="context_link" data-ylk="elm:context_link" data-rapid-sec="{'entry-text':'entry-text'}">Know Your Rights Camp</a>. 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: <a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" dir="ltr" title="http://knowyourrightscamp.com/covid19" role="link" href="https://t.co/ag2euE1Qtz?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-focusable="true">http://knowyourrightscamp.com/covid19</a>" Watch Kaepernick's video plea below: [[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/02dE3Qvv-dkXnENEs.mp4||02dE3Qvv]] 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 <a href="https://apnews.com/dc2ad6a6a0ccf9a6733067ca404d4254">Associated Press</a>, 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: [[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/fXwcbMEe-dkXnENEs.mp4||fXwcbMEe]] Similar statistics have also been reported elsewhere in the country. Per the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/04/07/coronavirus-is-infecting-killing-black-americans-an-alarmingly-high-rate-post-analysis-shows/?arc404=true">Washington Post</a>, 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 <a href="https://www.knowyourrightscamp.com/covid19">Know Your Rights Camp</a> 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 <a href="https://www.knowyourrightscamp.com/covid19">HERE</a>.

Colin Kaepernick launches coronavirus relief fund for black and brown communities

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