Colin Kaepernick Named Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year
Civil Rights Activist and Legendary NFL Quarterback Will Be Honored at the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards on Nov. 7 in Louisville, KY.
08.25.26
Colin Kaepernick Named Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year
Civil Rights Activist and Legendary NFL Quarterback Will Be Honored at the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards on Nov. 7 in Louisville, KY
Philanthropists Steve and Amy Trager Will Receive the ‘Kentucky Humanitarian Award’ for Their Service to the Louisville Community
The Ceremony Will Also Spotlight Six Young International Changemakers
LOUISVILLE, KY (August 25, 2026) — The Muhammad Ali Center has named legendary NFL quarterback, civil rights activist and entrepreneur Colin Kaepernick as the recipient of its
‘Humanitarian of the Year’ award. Kaepernick will receive the honor at the 13th annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards, the Center’s largest annual fundraiser to support the Center’s mission-based programs and events. It will take place on November 7 in Louisville, KY.
Kaepernick joins an esteemed class of ‘Humanitarian of the Year’ recipients since the launch of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards in 2013, including Shaquille O’Neal, Christina Aguilera, Michael J. Fox, Common, Patricia Arquette, Geena Davis, and more.
“Colin was chosen for his courage to stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to empowering underserved communities. Like Muhammad, Colin has used his platform to advocate for equality, human dignity, and social change, even when doing so came at significant personal and professional cost.” said Lonnie Ali, Co-Founder and President & CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center. “Through Know Your Rights Camp and his broader philanthropic efforts, Colin has turned his convictions into meaningful action by educating, empowering, and supporting young people and communities. His courage, sacrifice, and sustained dedication to service embody the humanitarian spirit and enduring legacy of Muhammad Ali.”
“Receiving the Muhammad Ali Center’s Humanitarian of the Year Award is an incredible honor,” said Colin Kaepernick. “Muhammad Ali lived with an uncommon courage to stand firmly in his convictions, even when doing so came at a great personal cost. He understood that our platforms are not simply ours to benefit from, but ours to use in service of others. To be recognized in his name is simultaneously humbling and a responsibility. I remain committed to bring about justice, uplift our communities, and develop a world where all people can live with freedom, dignity, and self-determination.”
In addition to Kaepernick, this year’s honorees include Louisville philanthropists Steve and Amy Trager who will receive the ‘Kentucky Humanitarian Award.’ Six young adults ages 30 years or younger will also be recognized for promoting positive change in their communities and beyond.
“We are deeply honored to receive the Muhammad Ali Kentucky Humanitarian Award,” said Steve and Amy Trager. “Muhammad Ali showed the world that true greatness is measured not by personal achievement, but by how we serve others. This recognition reflects the work of countless nonprofit leaders, community partners, and volunteers who dedicate themselves every day to making a difference. We are grateful to play a small role in helping strengthen the community we love.”
The complete list of awardees are below, which spans two categories: Seasoned Awards, honoring individuals who have dedicated a significant portion of their lives to humanitarianism, and Six Core Principles Awards, presented to young adults ages 30 years of or younger who are promoting positive change in their communities and beyond.
The Seasoned Awardees
Colin Kaepernick – Humanitarian of the Year
Colin Kaepernick is a legendary quarterback, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. Ten years ago in August 2016, Kaepernick sparked a national movement by kneeling during the national anthem before an NFL preseason game to protest racial injustice and police brutality.
A leader on and off the field, Colin is a prolific entrepreneur and education champion. Most recently, he founded Lumi, an AI driven platform which utilizes storytelling as a pathway to literacy. Lumi’s mission is to advance human knowledge and literacy by empowering student expression, in every classroom, district, and community. Colin is committed to creativity, equity, and learning that sparks real engagement.
In 2015, he founded Know Your Rights Camp, empowering Black and Brown youth through education, systems change and elevating the next generation of change leaders. He is also the founder of Kaepernick Publishing and the author of several children’s books, including his most recent release with Scholastic, “We Are Free, You & Me,” and New York Times bestseller “I Color Myself Different.” He has won an Emmy as part of Nike’s “Dream Crazy” campaign, and his self-produced Netflix documentary series “Colin in Black & White” has won two NAACP Image Awards.
As a quarterback, Colin spent six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, setting the all-time NFL record for most rushing yards (181) in a game by a quarterback. He also led the team to an appearance in Super Bowl XLVII (47) – their first Super Bowl appearance in over a decade as well as consecutive NFC Championship games.
Colin was given the National Education Association President’s Award, NEA’s highest honor in recognition of his work with his “Know Your Rights Camp”. Earlier this year, The American Civil Liberties Union honored Colin with the Ralph Ellison Award for Defenders of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in the Arts, Business, Science, and Sports. He has been named GQ magazine’s “Citizen of the Year”, and received Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award, ACLU’s Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award and The Puffin/Nation Institute’s Prize for Creative Citizenship as well as Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award for his continued work in our communities. He has also personally donated over $1 million dollars with his “Million Dollar Pledge” to various charities and organizations supporting their important work.
Colin continues to bridge sports, activism, and community impact as he fights for equal access to the future for all.
Steve and Amy Trager – Kentucky Humanitarian Award
Amy and Steve Trager have dedicated their lives to improving opportunities for others and strengthening the Louisville community. Their shared commitment to service, education, economic development, and philanthropy has touched countless lives across the region.
Steve is a Louisville native and graduate of Atherton High School. He attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Finance and met his beautiful wife, Amy. Following their graduation and engagement, the couple returned to Louisville, where Steve earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Louisville School of Law.
Amy began her professional career with Louisville’s Summer Youth Employment Program before joining the City of Louisville’s Employee Relations Training Division, where she worked from 1983 to 1988. She later participated in the Management Training Program at Byck’s in St. Matthews.
After practicing law with Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs for two years, Steve joined Republic Bank in 1987. Today, he serves as Executive Chair of Republic Bank and Republic Bancorp, remaining actively involved in the leadership and management of the company’s 47 banking centers across Kentucky, Indiana, Florida, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Throughout their careers, both Amy and Steve have dedicated themselves to serving the Louisville community. Steve has served as chairman of the Kentucky Bankers Association, Leadership Kentucky, the University of Louisville Board of Overseers, and the 2016 Fund for the Arts Campaign. Amy volunteered with Home of the Innocents from 1990 to 2006, serving on its Board of Directors, and later advocated for vulnerable children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer.
Since 2007, Amy has actively supported West End School, including a decade of service on its Board of Directors. She is also a member of the Louisville Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women, where she has participated in Court Watch, a program focused on promoting fairness and accountability within the judicial system. Steve currently serves on the University of Louisville President’s Council and the board and executive committee of One Louisville.
The couple’s commitment to leadership and service has earned widespread recognition. Steve’s honors include the 2026 Greater Louisville Inc. Gold Cup Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2025 Leadership Kentucky Flame of Excellence Award, the 2023 University of Louisville Alumni of the Year Award, the David and Betty Jones Sr. Legacy Award, Bellarmine University’s 2022 Knight of Knights Award, the 2018 Lincoln Foundation Spirit of Excellence Award, and recognition as Louisville’s 2017 Louisvillian of the Year. Amy was honored with the prestigious WLKY Bell Award in 2010 for her extraordinary service to children and families.
Beyond their professional and community accomplishments, Amy and Steve are proud parents of Kevin Trager and Emily Trager Brantley, and proud grandparents of Collins, Cameron, and Julie, all of whom call Louisville home.
Through decades of leadership, service, and generosity, Amy and Steve have helped shape a stronger, more vibrant, and more compassionate Louisville, leaving a legacy that will continue to impact the community for generations to come.
Six Core Principles Awardees
Joining the Seasoned Awardees are six young international humanitarians doing work embodying one of Muhammad Ali’s Six Core Principles: Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality.
Mateo Salvatto (27), an entrepreneur from Argentina, is a best-selling author and keynote speaker working at the intersection of technology and accessibility. At the age of 17, Salvatto created Hearlo, a free communication app that has helped more than 500,000 people with speech, hearing and motor disabilities.
Sneha Revanur (22), from San Jose, California, is the founder and president of Encode, an international organization that mobilizes youth for safer and more equitable artificial intelligence, advocating for regulation and the inclusion of youth on AI oversight and advisory boards.
Joseph Nguthiru (28), from Nairobi, Kenya, is the founder of HyaPak, a startup that converts invasive water hyacinth plants into bio-degradable packaging to replace single-use plastics, restoring waterways and creating green jobs for local communities.
Franziska Trautmann (28) started the organization Glass Half Full in New Orleans to recycle glass into sand for coastal restoration and cullet for the manufacturing of new bottles. The team has been backed by research from the National Science Foundation, and has restored thousands of meters of coastline and counting.
Jin Dawod (30), from Syria, is the founder and CEO of Peace Therapist, a refugee-led organization providing culturally sensitive mental health and psychosocial support to refugees, displaced people, and host communities, reaching more than 80,000 people across 26 countries.
Gab Mejia (29) is a Filipino photographer, multidisciplinary artist, and environmental engineer who weaves photography, moving image, and ecological design to confront sociopolitical and ecological crises. His work has been published within National Geographic, Vogue, the BBC, and more.
The Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards are made possible through the generous support of all the corporate and individual donors who support this event. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available for this year’s ceremony on the Muhammad Ali Center website, https://alicenter.org/.
About the Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center is a 501(c)(3) that prides itself on being much more than a museum. As an athlete, a humanitarian, a global voice and man guided by faith, Muhammad Ali embodied a pursuit and belief in the greatness found in all people. Founded in 2005 by Lonnie and Muhammad Ali in his hometown of Louisville, the Center is dedicated to honoring Ali and continuing work based on his core principles.
Notes to Media:
Credential requests are now open.
Please submit your information here: https://alicenter.org/awards/media-credential-form/ by Thursday, October 29, 2026.
Photos of Awardees here:
MAHA 2026 Awardee Photos (Photo Credit – Muhammad Ali Center (unless otherwise noted))
Media Contact:
Dustin Vogt
Muhammad Ali Center
[email protected]
502.992.5330