By Jennifer Elias CNBC
KEY POINTS
- Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said he was giving $3 million to Colin Kaepernick’s organization Know Your Rights Camp.
- It’s the latest donation from Dorsey, who has faced criticism from conservatives for putting a warning label on Donald Trump’s tweet.
Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey he’s giving $3 million to former NFL player Colin Kaepernick’s organization Know Your Rights Camp.
Dorsey is the the latest tech executive to give to anti-racist organizations in the wake of widespread protests over the killing of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis. A video of a white policeman kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes while he pleaded that he couldn’t breathe was shared widely on social media, igniting demonstrations across the world.
Dorsey has also faced recent criticism from President Donald Trump and right-wing conservatives for placing a “public interest notice” over a recent tweet by Trump for the first time. Twitter said Trump’s post, which said, “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” violated its policies about glorifying violence.
Kaepernick is best known for his time playing for the San Francisco 49ers, where he kneeled during the national anthem in protest of police killings against black people. The NFL and many conservatives criticized the gesture, saying it disrespected soldiers. Kapernick’s organization educates young people about their rights.
The grant will help “advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization to elevate the next generation of change leaders,” Dorsey stated.
Dorsey joins other tech companies and executives giving to organizations in the wake of Floyd’s murder. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Wednesday the company will provide $12 million in funding to organizations working to address racial inequities.
