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colin kaepernick is writing, self-publishing a memoir in 2020

February 13, 2020
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Saying that his “protest was the culmination of years of thought and experiences, of learning and unlearning,” activist and athlete Colin Kaepernick announced today that he would be releasing a memoir through his own Kaepernick Publishing, established in partnership with the independent Melcher Media. The book is due in late 2020. In a press release, Kaep said, “I want to tell the story of my evolution, and the events that led me to protest systemic oppression, in hopes that it will inspire others to rise in action.”

The book promises to be part political awakening and part memoir, revealing the life experiences that led the one-time Super Bowl quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers to upend his career as a star NFL football player, because of his desire to speak and act on injustice and police violence in the Black community.

Speaking about the book to USA Today, Kaep said, “I’ve had a lot of questions surrounding what got me to the point of protesting. Why did I do it? Why did I do it at that moment? Why wasn’t it earlier in my career? What led me to that point? Which led me to wanting to share that story and give insight.”

Kaepernick founded his own publishing company to reinforce the importance of Black ownership. Its vision is to give power to Black and Brown voices globally — to “elevate Black and Brown voices who can empower future generations,” according to Kaep — and offer unprecedented ownership options to collaborators, bringing greater diversity and representation to literature and spoken word.

The audio-book version of Kaep’s autobiography will be created in partnership with Audible — which has also entered into a multi-project deal with Kaepernick Publishing — while the print and e-books will be distributed by Two Rivers Distribution.

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