Colin Kaepernick talks about how he has been touched by the support he has received in his national anthem protest against racial injustice and how he has not focused on negative comments. (2:47)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- In the wake of his protests about racial inequality and oppression in the United States, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick says he has offered a deeper look into who he is as a person.

“I think people know a little bit more about me," Kaepernick said. "Been a little bit more open with where I stand and my views.

“For me, there’s nothing to hide. There’s nothing that I’m afraid to say about my opinion and my stance, and what I believe in, because I know why I believe those things and I have knowledge to back that up.”

Kaepernick has been a polarizing figure since making the decision to sit and then kneel during the national anthem. He has drawn heavy criticism on one side and praise on the other. It's something Kaepernick said he knew would happen when he first made the decision to protest. But Kaepernick has also backed up his protest with actions.

During the 49ers' bye week, Kaepernick hosted the first "Know Your Rights" camp in Oakland, California. He invited about 100 youth, mostly in the junior high age group, from 19 Bay Area organizations to a workshop with lessons on dealing with law enforcement, holistic health, financial literacy and more.

“It’s an event we wanted to put on to help give them the opportunity to succeed," Kaepernick said. "Give them some resources, some knowledge that can help progress them, help them understand the current state of things as well as how to handle different situations and how to succeed in different situations.”

Kaepernick said he took on an active role in developing the curriculum for the camp, and he spent about six months working with girlfriend Nessa Diab to bring their vision to fruition.

Colin Kaepernick hosted a camp for mostly junior high-aged kids during the bye week, with topics such as dealing with law enforcement, holistic health and financial literacy. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

“From top to bottom, it was something myself, my woman, our friends, we came together, we put it together as far as curriculum, the event, everything," Kaepernick said. "So, we wanted to make sure it was something that was very grass roots, that was true to what we believed, and the message wasn’t skewed or misrepresented or manipulated by a corporation that we had to stand behind.”

The objective was to offer important life skills and lessons for the youngsters in attendance. At one point, Kaepernick said he sat in awe of a 10-year-old boy who asked a question during the open-forum session.

“The in-depth thought that was in that question, for a 10-year-old, was to me something I said back after and was like, ‘Wow, that was impressive that you came up with that question,’" Kaepernick said. "And for me, that’s exciting to see that the youth not only are just getting surface-level knowledge, but are forming their own ideas, opinions, their own thoughts. That’s something that we need.

“For me, it was amazing to see how engaged the kids were. Them being locked in, having very in-depth questions about things that are going on and different parts of the curriculum. And the positive feedback we got after, the excitement they had, for me that was exciting to see.”

Kaepernick has plans to build on and expand the message of the camp. He has agreed to donate $1 million to organizations to help further his cause, as well as proceeds from his jersey sales. More camps such as last week's could also be on the horizon.

Kaepernick hopes to offer diverse life lessons that will allow the kids attending the camp to walk away with more than a single message.

“There were a lot of different topics that we covered, a lot of different areas that we wanted to share with them," Kaepernick said. "So, it’s hard to say one thing, but ultimately is they have the right to be great. They have the right for their freedom. They have their right to be treated as human beings.”