Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick published a children’s book about race.
“I Color Myself Different” — marketed by Kaepernick Publishing — will discuss the athlete’s experiences as a black child adopted into a white family. The book is set to release in April 2022 with additional books to follow.
We’re honored to collaborate w/ @Scholastic on @Kaepernick7’s children’s book, I COLOR MYSELF DIFFERENT, & hope that his story will inspire young people to live courageously in their truth. #IColorMyselfDifferent hits shelves on 4/5/22. Pre-order now at https://t.co/ei83WPSu05. pic.twitter.com/0FWxMuCtf0
— Kaepernick Publishing (@KaepernickPub) July 15, 2021
A press release from Kaepernick Publishing explains:
Colin Kaepernick, renowned activist, change-maker, and athlete, and Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, announce a multi-book publishing deal. Brokered in an exclusive offer from Kaepernick Publishing, the agreement includes World rights and all languages for both print and eBook formats.
During a kindergarten exercise on drawing families, Kaepernick remembers putting down the yellow crayon he had been using to draw his family and picking up the brown crayon for himself. This moment crystallized for him the differences marked by his adoption, and how acknowledging those distinctions could encourage us all to be more accepting of ourselves and each other.
“Colin Kaepernick’s inspiring story, with themes of identity, race, and self-esteem, will resonate deeply with all kids,” said Scholastic Trade Publishing President Ellie Berger in the press release. “We are privileged to bring this work to young readers around the world for the very first time.”
“This story is deeply personal to me and inspired by real events in my life. I hope that it honors the courage and bravery of young people everywhere by encouraging them to live with authenticity and purpose,” added Kaepernick. “I hope that our books will inspire readers to walk through the world with confidence, strength, and truth in all they do.”
As the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in 2016 to highlight purported systemic racism in policing. Kaepernick has since been a prominent voice in debates about social justice.
The Daily Wire recently reported that Kaepernick’s foundation — the “Know Your Rights Camp” — issued a statement in favor of Gwen Berry, an American hammer thrower who made headlines for turning her back to the American flag during the Olympic trials.
“We applaud Ms. Berry on her bravery to stand up against systemic racism,” tweeted the group.
In May, Kaepernick Publishing announced that it would edit and publish a book of essays called “Abolition for the People: The Movement for a Future Without Policing and Prisons.”
After months of hard work, we’re excited to announce that we’ll be publishing our first title, ABOLITION FOR THE PEOPLE: THE MOVEMENT FOR A FUTURE WITHOUT POLICING & PRISONS, on 10/12/21. This anthology is edited by @Kaepernick7 & features the contributions of over 30 writers. pic.twitter.com/fj6tuBpYBy
— Kaepernick Publishing (@KaepernickPub) May 11, 2021
“Edited by activist and Super Bowl quarterback Colin Kaepernick, ‘Abolition’ for the People is a manifesto calling for a world beyond policing and prisons,” the group explained. “Blending rigorous analysis with first-person narratives, Abolition for the People definitively makes the case that the only political future worth building is one without and beyond policing and prisons.”
In February, Kaepernick partnered with a private equity investor to launch a “social justice-focused special purpose acquisition company.” The group — called “Mission Advancement” — is seeking to raise funds “with the goal of acquiring a billion-dollar, consumer-focused company with the potential to ‘generate a positive social impact.’”
Mission Advancement said that it will “emphasize the racial and diversity issues Mr. Kaepernick has championed on and off the field through its investment in the growing environmental, social and governance investment field.”