How much do you know about Nessa Diab?
Over the years, she's forged a highly impressive career as a radio and TV host,
and it's entirely likely you've seen her on NBC's Talk Stoop, among numerous other popular programs.
The media personality and activist has been dating former San Francisco 49ers
quarterback Colin Kaepernick since 2015. As you no doubt recall, Kaepernick refused
to stand for the national anthem during a game against the Green Bay Packers… all in the hopes
of raising more awareness about police brutality and systemic racism. There was intense backlash,
and Kaepernick subsequently left the 49ers in 2017. He's since been locked out of the NFL.
Diab has definitely helped influence his views about social and racial justice.
In an interview with Starcasm, the Girl Code star
explained that growing up Muslim and living in Saudi Arabia shaped her activism at a young age.
"You know, part of my first memories was The Gulf War, which is why I think
I appreciate life so much now."
Opening up about her time in the Middle East, she said,
"I was a young girl fearing for my life — I wore gas masks to school. I heard war sirens
constantly and I knew at this point I had to break out of this lifestyle."
Kaepernick works tirelessly for racial and social justice — but he certainly doesn't do
it alone. According to Paper, Diab even helped Kaepernick conceive the Know Your Rights Camp,
an organization with an admirable mission. According to the official website,
"[We want] to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities
through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of
new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders."
During a joint interview with Paper, Diab revealed that Kaepernick was
voraciously reading books on Black liberation and freedom. As she put it,
"If Colin wasn't reviewing a playbook, he was reading a history book."
Once the interview dropped, the former San Francisco 49er tweeted out a link to
the article and gave a shout out to Diab, writing:
"Thank you [...] for representing the @yourrightscamp pillar – The
Right To Be Loved! Keep showing us the power of love! Love you Queen!"
In August 2019, the NFL partnered with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in an effort to improve the league's
live music entertainment strategies and social justice initiatives. The legendary
rapper entered into this partnership while Colin Kaepernick was being blackballed by the league.
Jay-Z said about the partnership,
"I think we've moved past kneeling. I think it's time for action."
As you might have guessed, the partnership proved controversial. Former Carolina
Panther safety Eric Reid, who happens to be Kaepernick's best friend, asked reporters,
"When has Jay-Z ever taken a knee, to come out and tell us we're past kneeling?"
But no one pushed back on the rapper quite like Diab. Speaking on Hot 97 radio, she said,
"I don't mind you doing a business deal — but I do mind you wrapping it in social justice
when you're working with an organization that denies someone an opportunity. [...] Jay has
phenomenal music, he's done so much nobody's taking that away from him!
Do your business! But don't talk to me about that league when they're doing dishonorable things."
You're probably wondering: What are these so-called "dishonorable things"?
Well, when the NFL updated its website in the spring of 2020,
Colin Kapernick's player profile page listed him as "retired" — even though
the former San Francisco 49er hadn't retired and considered himself to be a free agent.
This didn't sit well with Diab, so she took to Twitter to blast the league's decision, tweeting:
"[THE NFL is] lying on their website claiming @Kaepernick7 'retired.' Colin did NOT retire.
You cowards blackballed him [because] he peacefully protested against police brutality.
He's a Super Bowl QB [and] should be playing [because] his stats show that."
A day later, NFL.com changed Kaepernick's player profile to label him as an unrestricted free
agent. After the adjustment was made, Diab took to Twitter again to write,
"Thank you to everyone who held the @NFL accountable for falsely
reporting that Colin 'retired' on their website.
They heard you loud & clear [...]. Tell them to stop denying him employment."
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