Colin Kaepernick made a surprise appearance at the Alcatraz Indigenous People's Sunrise Gathering yesterday. The festival most commonly known as Unthanksgiving Day has been an annual tradition since 1975. The gathering commemorates the 1969-71 occupation of Alcatraz by American Indians, during which 89 American Indian activists and leaders occupied the island and former penitentiary with the demands that it be turned into an Indian cultural center and school.
According to the San Francisco Gate, Kaepernick delivered a message of resistance and hope to those gathered on the island.
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. pic.twitter.com/KdNtY3dp72
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) November 24, 2017
His message was met with cheers and applause. Despite constant criticism from President Donald Trump, Kaepernick continues to resist and exercise his rights. Not only does he stand for the rights of his people, he stands for all those who are oppressed — staying true to himself and all that he stands for.