Activist Colin Kaepernick has inked a multi-publishing deal with Scholastic to release children’s books under his Kaepernick Publishing company.
The book collection, which will be created by Black and Brown authors and illustrators, will center on race in an effort to help educate children on embracing and respecting people of all racial backgrounds and walks of life.
The first book to be published as part of the partnership is I Color Myself Different, which is inspired by a personal childhood experience of Kaepernick’s—who is half Black, half white, and was adopted by a white family. Illustrated by Eric Wilkerson, I Color Myself Different will debut and hit shelves in April 2022. According to Scholastic, the 40-page book is for children between the ages of four and eight years old, with content that is “a joyful ode to Black and Brown lives based on real events in young Colin’s life.”
Kaepernick spoke on the significance of I Color Myself Different and his partnership with Scholastic. “This story is deeply personal to me and inspired by real events in my life,” explained the former NFL quarterback. “I hope that it honors the courage and bravery of young people everywhere by encouraging them to live with authenticity and purpose. I’m excited for Kaepernick Publishing to be collaborating with Scholastic on books with Black and Brown voices at the forefront. I hope that our books will inspire readers to walk through the world with confidence, strength, and truth in all they do.”
In May, Kaepernick revealed he’ll be publishing a book called Abolition for the People: The Movement for a Future without Policing and Prisons. Slated for release on October 12 in conjunction with Melcher Media, the book will feature essays by authors including Angela Y. Davis, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Mariame Kaba, Robin D.G. Kelley, and Bree Newsome Bass.