Former NFL star Colin Kaepernick is well known for his activism and fight for social justice beyond the playing field. His determination to stand by his beliefs probably led to his ouster from the NFL but into the hearts of his fans as revealed by a recent interaction on social media.
Kaepernick took to Instagram on March 16th to post a story on his official account. The story was initially shared on the account of Kaepernick’s partner Nessa’s and writer Kai Williams’ Instagram, hailing him as the GOAT for his achievements in social activism.
Kai Naima Williams posted a story on March 15th with a text message for Kaepernick and his publishing house. She wrote, “It’s what we do. Celebrate, honor and elevate incredible stories @kaepernickpublishing @kaepernick7 been the GOAT. He really doesn’t have to but he always puts the people first.” Her message resonates with the mission and vision of Kaepernick Publishing.
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Kaepernick’s publishing house champions two main goals, representation and empowerment. They prioritize works from black and brown authors to ensure a wider range of stories while providing them complete ownership and control over the work. The publication has released works on Autobiographies, social justice, and children’s books. The writer in context, Kai Naima Williams has also released similar works like Tomorrow Maps and The Bridges Yuri Built.
But why does Kaepernick have such a strong attachment to the underprivileged people, so much so that he built a publication dedicated to them? Well, to understand that we need to go back to his unofficial retirement in 2016.
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Colin Kaepernick’s controversial stand brings an abrupt end to his NFL career
Colin Kaepernick was playing as a QB for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2016 season. But things took a turn when he sparked a controversy by kneeling during the national anthem as a sign of his protest against racial injustice and police brutality. He continued kneeling throughout the 2016 season, inspiring others to join the protest amidst the controversy.
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However, he was released at the end of the season. When he turned into a free agent the next year, he wasn’t picked up by anyone. Perhaps this explains his drive to build a publishing house as an extension of his beliefs, which also led to his unofficial retirement.