LOS ANGELES — Urban Policy Roundtable President Earl Ofari Hutchinson and other civil rights leaders have called on Mayor Eric Garcetti and the L.A. City Council to declare Saturday, August 12 a Day of Recognition in Los Angeles for Colin Kaepernick. August 12 is the pre-season opening game for the L.A. Rams.

Kaepernick’s personal, dignified, non-violent protest for civil rights, equality and against racial injustice is squarely in the spirit of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In taking his courageous nonviolent stance, he risked millions of dollars in professional endorsements and opportunities. Even more, he risked his NFL career, for which he is currently unemployed.

Kaepernick’s stance against racial injustice has sparked a much-needed national dialogue about the role of sports and racial relations in America as well as within the NFL and professional sports. It ha, also stirred mass calls for protests, demonstrations and petitions that has further energized tens of thousands nationally. There are even planned demonstrations at the L.A. Rams preseason opener and other NFL games in L.A.

“Kaepernick is the current symbol of the fight against injustice,” says Hutchinson, “He provides the perfect opportunity for the Mayor and the L.A. city council to add their voice to the impassioned call made by millions to support the cause of and fight for racial justice. Kaepernick is the lightening rod in that fight deserves no less than recognition by the city of L.A. for that.”