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When Colin Kaepernick took a knee in protest of police brutality, it sparked a national conversation—one that has blackballed him from the NFL but is still echoing strong, as evidenced by GQmagazine.

It named the former San Fransisco 49ers quarterback their first 'citizens of the year' on Monday.

Kaepernick has remained silent throughout the majority of his activism (spare clarifying the intent of his actions). That's made room for his protest to be interpreted in different ways, but rather than let "detractors will only twist your words and use them against you" as the GQ piece reads, the magazine invited Kaepernick's friends, mentors, and former teammates to shed light on why the purpose of his protest should not be diluted over time.

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SEE ALSO:Colin Kaepernick just signed a huge new deal, but not with the NFL

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Director Ava Duvernay, rapper J. Cole, Women's March organizers Linda Sarsour and Tamika Mallory, actor and activist Harry Belafonte were all quoted in the piece, speaking about Kaepernick, activism and the legacy of protests from athletes.

Kaepernick took to social media on Monday morning to share the exciting cover, and while there is no shortage of haters on Twitter, the majority of responses to the magazine's choice of featuring him were overwhelmingly grateful.

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Kaepernick is joined by Gal Gadot, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Colbert in the "Citizens of the Year" issue, available now.

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TopicsActivismBlack Lives Matter