Colin Kaepernick, the controversial football star, has accused his white adoptive parents of promoting racism in a new interview.
During the discussion with CBS Chicago, Kaepernick discussed his forthcoming graphic novel, “Change the Game”, which explores his struggles growing up in a “problematic” environment. The athlete expressed his parents’ love for him, but noted that there were still issues he dealt with. He further remarked that it was essential to demonstrate how racism can take place in the home and how it can be addressed.
The graphic novel chronicles Kaepernick’s journey from high school to his successful athletic career, which he said was heavily influenced by his lack of choice in his future. One particular disagreement between Kaepernick and his parents that is featured in the novel is a fight over his hairstyle. He wanted to emulate basketball player Allen Iverson by wearing cornrows, but his mother, Teresa, was opposed to the idea. Kaepernick then recalled the conversation his mother had with him, which included her telling him that the style was not professional and that he looked like a thug.
The conversation has continued to shape Kaepernick’s life even many years later and has motivated him to keep his afro hairstyle. Due to the lack of racial harmony in his own home, Kaepernick sought a sense of community elsewhere, which is why, instead of a professional baseball career, he chose to pursue a football career . He revealed that he was offered opportunities in both sports but ultimately chose the NFL as there were significantly more black players in the league.
Kaepernick hopes to return to the football field, something he hasn’t done since he was ousted in 2016 for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice.
Since then, he has used his platform to advocate for social justice issues and recently worked with director Spike Lee on a Netflix documentary highlighting his NFL protests.