Colin Kaepernick, Nessa Diab on parenting, partnership and a new book

From the skin, the new work looks like an peculiar, cheerful kid’s book. It is colourful with wonderful, uplifting illustrations by Gladys Jose, but contained in the pages the book gives children a powerful message in regards to the true meaning of freedom, their rights and values ​​on this complex world.

The book was written by athlete, activist and best-selling writer Colin Kaepernick and his partner, activist and radio host Nessa Diab, and is distributed by: Scholastic. Parents of a little girl. Now they’re each inspired greater than ever to understand the importance of the work they do to spotlight injustice and equip youth with what they should proceed this vital work. This is what they already do with their very own Camp Know Your Rightsand that is something they desired to spread more widely within the book. All proceeds from the event might be donated to the Know Your Rights camp.

“We wanted to create something that not only our children could learn from, but also a resource for families around the world to have important conversations about freedom, rights and community,” says ESSENCE.

We talked to Kaepernick and Diab about empowering young people, how parenthood has modified them, and why, with a stressful election season and injustices making headlines left and right, now could be the proper time to

BEING: Since receiving my copy, my 4-year-old has grow to be very involved in it. What message do you should send to young people like him through this work?

I’m so glad your 4-year-old was involved in our book! Our message to young readers like your child is that they’ve the ability to be free of their thoughts, actions and identities. We want them to grasp that they need to dream big, defend themselves and others, and accept their individuality. It is vital that children know from an early age that their voices matter and that they will contribute to creating a more just and inclusive world.

Colin, this just isn’t your first kid’s book. What’s behind your passion for delivering empowering messages to children moderately than adults?

Empowering children from an early age is amazingly essential since the ideas and values ​​they acquire at an early stage shape their entire lives. If we help them realize their power, they may grow up and be prepared to confront injustice and create meaningful change. Even our nonprofit Know Your Rights Camp, which inspired this book, is deeply rooted in our mission to empower youth: our goal is to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, empowerment, mass mobilization, and constructing new systems that support and develop the following generation of change makers.

Did being parents play a role in wanting to create this story? What do you’re keen on most about parenting?

Absolutely! I like being a father and being a dad to a girl is amazing. I do my best to create a loving and caring environment for our daughter, who’s now a toddler. I at all times ask myself how I could be higher for her. For Nessa and I, becoming parents has deepened our understanding of the responsibility we must teach the following generation.

On one in every of the pages of the book it’s written: “You can weather the storm in your path and not go astray.” How do you each cope with the storms which have come during your activism and how do you stay motivated?

We lean on one another and our community. Social advocacy could be difficult and sometimes isolating, but having a strong common foundation allows us to face these challenges together. We proceed to motivate one another by focusing on the positive impact we make. We also remind ourselves that change doesn’t occur overnight and that there’ll at all times be storms, but staying true to our values ​​gives us the strength to maintain moving forward.

We are within the midst of a historic election season, with a lot terrible rhetoric and hurtful headlines. Even though that is a kid’s book, why is that this the proper time to deliver this message?

This is strictly the correct time for this message because children should not proof against what is going on on the earth around them. They see, hear and feel the burden of injustice, even when they can’t at all times express it. it is supposed to offer hope and strength within the face of inauspicious times.