If he didn’t have already got sufficient on his plate as an NFL famous person and civil rights activist, Colin Kaepernick was prepared for his subsequent problem, so he wrote a kids’s e book together with his girlfriend and mom of his youngster, Nessa Diab—referred to as We Are Free, You and Me.
In an e-mail interview with First for Women, the 2 collectively shared their ideas on the that means of the e book, what they hope their daughter will get from it and the place the proceeds are going. Keep studying to study extra.
First for Women: What made you need to write this image e book?
Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab: We wished to ensure there was a narrative that we might inform our daughter and different kids in regards to the energy inside themselves, the power of the group and exhibiting them what the world could possibly be if we assist and uplift one another.
This e book additionally builds on the work we’ve been doing with our first “baby,” the Know Your Rights Camp [KYRC], the place youth find out about their rights and we encourage them to face of their energy and have a good time who they're. That’s why we felt it was so vital to publish this e book—to share these empowering messages with youngsters in every single place, serving to them consider in themselves and their means to make a distinction.
FFW: How was the writing course of? Were there any kids’s authors or books you used that helped make it simpler?
CK & ND: The writing course of was significant for us as a result of we centered on making vital ideas like believing in your self, particularly throughout exhausting occasions, simple for kids to know and join with.
The e book was impressed by the Know Your Rights Camp 10 Points, which focuses on everybody’s proper to be free, wholesome, good, secure, liked, and extra. We’ve learn so many books to our daughter, so creating one thing we consider in and labored on collectively has been very significant. We’re proud to share it along with her and youngsters in every single place.
FFW: What is one factor you need youngsters to remove from this e book?
CK & ND: We hope youngsters take away that they're highly effective. We emphasised the facility of group, drawing from the one we’ve constructed with the Know Your Rights Camp—from the volunteers to all of the grassroots organizations we’ve labored with on the bottom doing vital work in the neighborhood. It’s about exhibiting that whereas we could also be sturdy individually, we’re even stronger and extra highly effective collectively.
FFW: We’re dwelling in such divided occasions, the place does your e book match into that?
CK & ND: We know that many individuals proceed to face day by day struggles—whether or not it’s systemic oppression, lack of entry to primary rights or the struggle to have their voices heard. Our e book is a reminder to consider in your self, it doesn't matter what challenges you might face. It’s additionally a name to encourage your group to carry on to that very same perception, even throughout troublesome occasions. We need kids to know that their rights and value are non-negotiable. It’s about empowering them to assist construct a greater and extra loving group.
FFW: What’s subsequent for you?
ND: Colin nonetheless wakes up at 4:30 a.m. and trains six days every week, prepared and ready for any alternative that may come his means. He’s additionally working exhausting on his new startup, Lumi, which seeks to democratize storytelling by way of expertise, giving extra folks the instruments to share their very own tales in highly effective methods. I proceed to host my nationally syndicated primetime present on the legendary radio station HOT 97 in NYC and just lately launched my podcast, Nessa Off Air.
But past our particular person tasks, essentially the most significant a part of our lives is elevating our daughter and watching her develop. Parenthood has solely deepened our dedication to creating a greater world for the subsequent era, which is the inspiration of the work we do at Know Your Rights Camp. We’re persevering with to develop our packages, empowering younger folks to know their rights, their energy and their potential.
FFW: Anything else you’d wish to get on the market?
CK & ND: We would love for everybody to go to the Know Your Rights Camp’s website and study extra in regards to the superb work we do. And, should you really feel impressed and may assist our work, you possibly can donate straight on the web site. We are proud to say all of Colin’s and Nessa’s proceeds from our kids’s e book will go to KYRC.
