Colin Kaepernick’s kids book ‘I Color Myself Different’ inspired by upbringing

Colin Kaepernick is telling his origin story.

The football player is writing a children’s book based loosely on his own life story, his publishing company, Kaepernick Publishing said in a statement this week.

The book, “I Color Myself Different,” takes its name from one of his childhood experiences growing up as an adopted black child of white parents and will be “deeply personal,” the athlete said.

“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,” a press release for the book reads. “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.”

The book will be published by Scholastic in April and is part of a multi-book publishing deal Kaepernick struck with the company.

Colin Kaepernick writing children's book, I Color Myself Different.
The book takes its name from one of Colin Kaepernick’s childhood experiences growing up as an adopted black child of white parents.
kaepernickpublishing.com

“Colin’s reputation as a thought leader precedes him, but it was also clear when we met that his mission and purpose were very much aligned with Scholastic’s,” said Debra Dorfman, VP and publisher, Scholastic Global Licensing, Brands & Media.

Kaepernick, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, became a divisive name in 2016 after kneeling during the national anthem to protest police violence and racism in the United States. He left the NFL that same year and has not been signed with a team since.

Leave a Comment