Colin Kaepernick is getting candid about the difficulties he endured as a black child of white adoptive parents in a new interview.
The controversial footballer, who is well known for being outspoken about racism, held nothing back as he talked about his struggles growing up in a “problematic” household, despite excelling at baseball, basketball, and football at Pitman High School in California.
He spilled the tea during a television appearance to discuss his graphic memoir, “Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game.”
Colin Kaepernick Discloses The ‘Pushback’ He Received From Adoptive Parents Regarding His Hair
When Colin was adopted by a Wisconsin-based white couple — Rick and Teresa, he never expected that his ‘blackness’ would be problematic for them. However, that was precisely what he experienced with the couple who had two biological kids — a daughter Devon and a son Kyle.
Before going into the details of what went on in his childhood home, the 35-year-old explained that even though he knew that his parents loved him, there were “still very problematic things” that he experienced.
One such thing was the pushback he received from his mom when he wanted to get cornrows. The matriarch called the hairstyle “unprofessional” while claiming he would look like “a little thug.”
Instead of turning him against the ‘do, the conversation informed his decision to keep his hair long, becoming the now-signature afro. “I think it was important to show, ‘No, this can happen in your own home.’ And how do we move forward collectively while addressing the racism that is being perpetuated,” he declared to CBS News.
The racial dissonance in his home encouraged the free agent to find community elsewhere, eventually following a career in football due to the significant number of black players in the league.
Despite his prowess at the game, Colin has not played on the field since 2016, when he took a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality in the United States.
Before that, the Wisconsin-born star had made waves for staying seated as his teammates and others belted out the national anthem ahead of a game during that year’s preseason.
“You know, very similar to the messaging of the book is I don’t have control over all of these situations. But I control how I respond to it, I control how I prepare for it, and I’m a believer that in doing that, good things will happen,” Colin added.
Although he withdrew from his contract with the 49ers in 2017 and recently settled a lawsuit with the National Football League, the civil rights activist still has plans to play on the field. In his words:
“Five, six days a week I’m still up at 4:30; I go get my training in. Yeah, that passion is still there, and the ability is still there.”
The Ambassador of Conscience Award Winner Welcomed His First Child Last Year
While Colin continues to channel his activist spirit for good, his personal life is experiencing great leaps. The Blast reported that Colin and his longtime partner, Nessa Diab, were ecstatic when they welcomed their first child together last August.
The then-new-mom had taken to Instagram to share a black-and-white image of her smiling as she rested on her beau’s shoulder, with her arm for support.
Colin, who held their bundle of joy in his arms against his bare, tattooed chest, smiled at the camera. In her caption, the television personality informed fans that she and the former quarterback welcomed their baby a few weeks ago.
Diab clarified that even though they were excited about their family expanding, she was hesitant about sharing the good news online. After touching on the issue of her postpartum recovery, which she admitted was not easy, and calling herself a “complete mama bear,” the “Know Your Rights Camp” co-founder gushed:
“Colin is the most amazing dad, and I’m soooo grateful that he is by our side for every moment of this journey.”
She finished the caption by appreciating people’s support and show of love and a sign-off tag, “Love, The Kaepernicks.” The post has received over 155k likes and thousands of congratulatory messages in the comment section.
“So happy for you and Colin welcome to the world little one. You’re here to make it that much better,” one effused. A second person commented, “So happy for you and your family,” and “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin claimed she was “beyond the moon” for the couple.
