“You look like a THUG,” Colin Kaepernick reveals SHOCKING details about his upbringing and dubs it as ‘problematic’

Colin Kaepernick reveals harrowing details regarding his 'problematic' upbringing as a child.

Colin Kaepernick was adopted and raised by parents belonging to the White ethnicity. (Image: WIREIMAGE)

Colin Kaepernick may not have taken a snap in the NFL since the 1st of January 2017 when the San Francisco 49ers faced the Seattle Seahawks, but it does not mean he has been forgotten within the NFL circles. The quarterback has been through a lot; he was punished for taking a knee as the national anthem played before the commencement of NFL games. Colin stood for a purpose, and he sacrificed his professional career in the process.

The former NFL quarterback has now come out with his own graphic novel Change the Game, a title fitting for what he has done and stood for, in his novel, he sheds light upon his teenage years as an individual who was attempting to figure himself out and the direction he was headed toward. Kaepernick was adopted by Rick and Teresa Kaepernick, parents who were White and he highlighted some of the struggles that he faced in his formative years in his novel.

In an interview, the former NFL quarterback elaborates upon how he is grateful for everything that his foster parents have done for him but at the same time, highlights instances where they were not the most supportive in nature. These instances are when the QB was attempting to embrace his original ethnicity and figure himself out as a person. Colin dubs his teenage years as ‘problematic’ in nature due to the following reasons.

Colin’s parents did not let him embrace his individuality

Colin Kaepernick. (IMAGE: USA Today) — Colin Kaepernick gave fans a disturbing excerpt from his upbringing. (IMAGE: USA Today)

While Colin Kaepernick was growing up, he held Allen Iverson, the Hall of Fame basketball guard as his idol and the one thing that is synonymous with AI is his iconic cornrows. Kaepernick was such a huge fan of AI that he wished to get cornrows himself, however, that did not sit well with his parents.

“There were still problematic things…‘Oh, your hair is not professional, oh, you look like a little thug,’ ” were the exact words of his parents. Colin sheds light upon how he was confused with all of this going on around him but at the same time he wished to highlight this via his latest novel. His intentions are to merely ensure that no other child or person who may be in a position similar to his would have to go through the same thing that he went through.

Colin Kaepernick may no longer be in the NFL, however, the impact that he has made on the league is undeniable. He continues to inspire and encourage the Black community to truly be themselves and stand up for what they believe in. He is indeed an inspirational figure and to hear about the type of things he has had to endure in his childhood really does preach a lot about the situations he has gone through and how he had to have his own back from an earlier age in comparison to his peers.

Do follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Tags: Colin Kaepernick

#About the Author

Sumedh Joshi

(2437 Articles Published)

Sumedh Joshi is an NFL writer at FirstSportz. With over three years of experience as a content writer, his foray into the area began with a brief stint for a tech-based blog. He began to actively curate engaging content that goes beyond informing the reader of the latest updates. Subsequently, he found his interest in football and has since covered the NFL actively. Sumedh holds a Bachelors in Commerce and LLB degree from St. Joseph's College of Law. He cherishes the idea of introducing his readers to different perspectives on any given topic. Sumedh believes there is more than just one side to every story and it is his role to convey the same to the audience. A lifetime sports fanatic, Sumedh is also passionate about the NBA and enjoys working out, reading, and introspecting in his leisure time.

Comments

Please login to join the discussion.

Be the first to comment!