Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has accused his white adoptive parents of “perpetuating racism” and called parts of his upbringing “problematic.”
Kaepernick recounted his experience growing up in his new graphic novel, “Change the Game.”
“I know my parents loved me,” Kaepernick told CBS News for an article published Thursday. “But there were still very problematic things that I went through.”
“I think it was important to show that, no, this can happen in your own home, and how we move forward collectively while addressing the racism that is being perpetuated,” he added.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 28: Colin Kaepernick attends the Netflix Limited Series “Colin in Black and White” Premiere at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on October 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Netflix)
Kaepernick recounted an instance when he and his parents disagreed over his hairstyle after he expressed his desire to get cornrows in order to look like NBA star Allen Iverson, according to Fox News. (RELATED: Teachers’ Union Suggests Summer Reading About Kneeling For The National Anthem)
“He’s getting what rolls?” his mom said, according to the new book. Kaepernick claims his mother described the hairstyle as “not professional” and said Colin “looked like a little thug.”
Kaepernick also told CBS that his upbringing helped him to embrace his identity.
“Those became spaces where it’s like, ‘Okay, how do I navigate the situation right now?’ But it also has informed why I have my hair long today,” Kaepernick said, according to CBS.