Dr. Anthony Fauci and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick were among those selected to be honored with the 2020 Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award.
Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, said on Monday that Fauci, Kaepernick, and the others who were selected for the honor provided the leadership and hopefulness that the United States needed over the past year.
“Our country is yearning for leadership, for moral fortitude, for common decency and kindness, and this year’s Ripple of Hope laureates give us great hope for the future,” she said. “Their work for equal justice touches every corner of society, sometimes at great personal cost. We are deeply honored to celebrate these changemakers, who have set forth countless ripples of hope at a time when our world is in such need of inspiration.”
Kaepernick, who started the NFL’s national anthem protests in 2016, said he was humbled to be recognized for his contributions to the Black Lives Matter movement.
“In 2017, I was in the audience honoring Mr. Harry Belafonte as he accepted the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award. I am humbled to follow the footsteps of individuals like Mr. B and to be in the company of all the other laureates. Thank you for this prestigious award,” he said.
Kaepernick and Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, have found themselves at odds with President Trump in recent months. Fauci and Trump have clashed over the proper response to the coronavirus pandemic. The president has long criticized Kaepernick and opposed the national anthem protests, which have now spread to several other professional sports organizations.
Kaepernick and Fauci were selected for the award, along with Dolores Huerta, the co-founder of United Farm Workers of America; Dan Schulman, the president and chief executive officer of PayPal; and Dan Springer, the chief executive officer of DocuSign, for their work to promote equality and their devotion to human rights.
