Kobe Bryant joins Colin Kaepernick’s pledge to donate money to organizations working for social reform

NBA: Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers
Dec 18, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Kobe Bryant addresses the Staples Center crowd during a halftime ceremony to retire his two uniforms numbers, 8 and 24. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Colin Kaepernick’s work in campaigning for social justice and reform has been commended despite it, in part, leading to his being blackballed out of the NFL. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback caused uproar by kneeling during the national anthem as a protest against social issues (namely police violence towards people of color) but has since put his money behind his word, donating a total of one million dollars over the past year to numerous organizations working in fields that he is passionate about.

Kaepernick’s final $100,000 donation was split into ten parts in a #10for10 pledge that involved numerous celebrities matching Kaepernick’s donations to organizations that they felt passionate about. Kaep’s pledge is over but more notable people are still joining the cause with the most recent being Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

Bryant pledged to donate $10,000 to Youth Service, Inc. in his hometown of Philadelphia, an organization dedicated to providing shelter and other services to at-risk children and families.

Bryant’s donation is the latest in a long line of social work by the former superstar shooting guard who was criticized earlier in his career for not showing much involvement. Since then, Bryant has been more vocal about speaking up against police violence and other social and political issues with much more dedication to serving the community off the court. Since his retirement, Kobe has even supported Kaepernick’s act of kneeling for the national anthem.

Bryant is one of several athletes and celebrities to join Kaepernick’s campaign, including Bay Area stars Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry.