Colin Kaepernick on His New Graphic Memoir, 'Change the Game,' and Why Telling His Story Helped Him Grow

Colin Kaepernick; Colin Kaepernick’s bookChange the Game.Photo: Kaepernick Publishing

Colin Kaepernick, like many of us, hopes to not only inspire others, but also to give young people the confidence to trust their power. In his newest bookChange the Game, he says that telling his story from the perspective of his teenage self, helped him relive that period of emotional growth.

‘Change the Game’ interior spread.Kaepernick Publishing

In 2022, Kaepernick published a book for younger children,IColor Myself Different.Writing for more mature readers presented new challenges, he says, but it focuses on similar themes. “This book is intended for a slightly older audience and deals with more complex issues thanI Color Myself Different,” he tells PEOPLE in a statement. “The common thread, however, is creating books that give power and agency to the reader, specifically Black and Brown youths.”

Both books address a need he remembers facing himself when he was younger. “I wish I had more books with lead characters that looked like me and spoke to the situations that I was dealing with and going through,” says Kaepernick, who became a household name in 2016 when he began kneeling during the National Anthem before NFL games in silent protest of police brutality. In the wake of negative press around his actions, Kaepernick went unsigned in 2017 and has not played football professionally since.

Colin Kaepernick.Mike Ehrmann/Getty

Kaepernick, now 35, has stayed focused on the issue, producing Killing County, a 2023 documentary on Hulu about a family standing up to acorrupt police departmentin California. He has kept himself in game shape, always remaining open to areturn to the NFL.

InChange the Game, Kaepernick describes the painful process of choosing football over baseball, a sport in which he also excelled. Going back to his high school years was a challenge, he says, and even more challenging was the need to tell the story so that readers would get the most out of it.

A never-before published photo of Colin Kaepernick playing baseball for the Pittman Pride baseball team around the age of 16/17.Kaepernick Publishing

Of his collaborator, Eve L. Ewing, a poet and professor, Kaepernick adds, “It was incredible working with Eve. She’s extremely talented, thoughtful, collaborative, and handled the stories with care while pushing boundaries. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner on this project. And Orlando Caicedo really brought my story to life with his powerful illustrations.”

The process was difficult at times, but it had its rewards, he notes. “Writing is challenging and also therapeutic,” Kaepernick says. “A writer has to grapple with every element of each character to really bring a story to life and in the process has no choice but to grow.”

With two books under his belt, should we expect to see more books from Colin Kaepernick? “Yes,” he says. “This is only the beginning.”

source: people.com