Photo of cheerleader kneeling during national anthem goes viral

A powerful photo of a Georgia Institute of Technology cheerleader who kneeled during the national anthem at a home game has gone viral.

The picture was taken on October 1, 2016, before a game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Miami University Hurricanes in Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field in Atlanta, Georgia.

In the image, Raianna Brown, a 22-year-old member of the Georgia Tech Goldrush dance team, can be seen taking a knee in the middle of the field during the anthem while her other teammates stand with their hands over their hearts.

Photo: Getty

Although Brown originally posted a photo of her protest on Instagram the day after the game, her story didn't go viral until she again shared the photo on Twitter on September 23, amid countrywide nationwide controversy surrounding similar protests in the NFL.

"Proudest & scariest moment as a yellow-jacket happened at the same time," Brown wrote. "Thank you @Kaepernick7 for inspiring to #TakeAKnee to take a stand."

The cheerleader's powerful image has already received over 36,000 retweets and more than 130,000 likes.

In an interview with Teen Vogue, Brown said she reposted the photo in light of the recent NFL protests in order to show solidarity with athletes who have chosen to take a stand against social injustice.

"Some people think kneeling during the anthem is a form of disrespect but I don't mean any disrespect," she told the outlet. "But it didn’t feel right to stand when so many people are being killed unlawfully or being treated unlawfully in prison systems. It’s important to put yourself on the line, even if you're nervous, and make a stand for something you believe in."

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