Colin Kaepernick Calls Out Adoptive Parents For Perpetuating Racism At Home
Colin Kaepernick is speaking his truth, once again, as the former NFL star has called out his adoptive parents for perpetuating racism within their home when the 35-year-old was just a child.
“I know my parents loved me, but there were still very problematic things that I went through,” Kaepernick told CBS’ Adriana Diaz on Thursday, as per CNN. “I think it was important to show that, no, this can happen in your home, and how you move forward collectively while addressing the racism that is being perpetuated.”
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According to the author, his mother, Teresa Kaepernick, once told him “Your hair is not professional, you look like a little thug” because he chose to get cornrows as a child.
“Those become spaces where it’s like, ‘How do I navigate this situation now?’ But it also has informed why I have my hair long today,” the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback added.
The moment was actually depicted in 2021 Netflix series Colin In Black and White, with his mom calling him a “thug” because she disapproved of his hairstyle.
Kaepernick also promoted new graphic novel Change The Game, which tells the story of his life from the perspective of a teenaged Colin. The athlete wrote the Young Adult-oriented tome with Eve L. Ewing.
His life will also be chronicled in a new documentary helmed by Spike Lee, who has promised to give viewers the “real story” behind the activist and his true motivations.
“It’s his story, not the false narratives,” Lee told Entertainment Tonight October 2022.