GQ Magazine's Citizen of the Year, Colin Kaepernick decided to take the holiday to recognize the indigenous community and support the Indigenous People’s Sunrise Ceremony on Alcatraz on Thursday. The tradition began in 1975 on what is referred to as "Unthanksgiving Day" meant to commemorate the Native American population that occupied Alcatraz Island between 1969 to 1971. The activists that occupied Alcatraz at the time were attempting to turn the island and surrounding area into a school for the indigenous community.
Kaepernick posted his reasons behind celebrating with the Native American community on Twitter saying:
Today, I was on Alcatraz Island at the Indigenous People’s Sunrise Gathering, in solidarity with those celebrating their culture and paying respects to those that participated in the 19 month occupation of Alcatraz in an effort to force to honor the Treaty of Fort Laramie.
Kaepernick was honored by the community for his fight for social justice. He told those in attendance, “I realize that our fight is the same fight." Kaepernick continued, “We’re all fighting for our justice, for our freedom and realizing that we are in this fight together makes us all the more powerful.”
Check out the video of Colin Kaepernick participating in the Sunrise Ceremony above.
Source: Twitter
