From co-creators Ava DuVernay and Colin Kaepernick comes Colin in Black & White, a bold new dramatic limited series that chronicles Kaepernick’s coming of age story, tackling the obstacles of race, class and culture as the Black adopted child of a white family. Colin in Black & White stars Jaden Michael as Young Colin before reaching the highest levels of American football as an NFL quarterback and becoming a cultural icon and activist; Nick Offerman and Mary-Louise Parker as his well-meaning parents Rick and Teresa; and Colin Kaepernick himself, who appears as the present-day narrator of his own story, guiding viewers through a robust and colorfully presented array of historical and contemporary contextual moments. You don’t know Kaepernick until you know Colin.
What was important to you when you were crafting this story?
Kaepernick: Colin in Black and White is a scripted limited series inspired by my experience as a Black child, adopted by a white family. I did not have a lot of references or guides growing up to help me navigate some of the negative experiences or interactions I went through as a young Black kid. When we were thinking about telling this story, we wanted to explore that idea more and give people references of how these situations can impact and shape one’s identity and growth.
DuVernay: It was vitally important to me that this wasn’t another autobiographical series about a famous person as a child. No disrespect to those shows, but it’s been done – and done well. I was interested in pushing a bit further into this storytelling trope. It was about challenging the process to determine how we could expand the core of a young person’s path to power into a story that can appeal widely and personally to others. The goal was to take the kernel of the idea and make it mean something to viewers whether they’re watching in Detroit or Dubai, Shreveport or Senegal. This is how the idea of weaving cultural and historical context with the young person’s story came to my mind. This is how I approached the story construction as Michael Starrbury and his stellar writing team went to draft the ideas. The aim always was to allow Colin’s story to catapult viewers into a broader understanding of their own journey alongside the various histories and cultural legacies that each of our lives is impacted by.
What do you hope people take away from the series?
Kaepernick: This was an opportunity to open a window into experiences inspired by my high school years. I want Black and Brown kids and their communities to find guidance in how we can combat racism and oppressive systems. I hope someone can see that they too can come out on the other side and be able to say, “I faced those struggles. I’ve worked through them, and I was able to be successful and come out the other end, keeping my dignity and my identity intact.”
DuVernay: I hope people feel compelled to examine their own origin story. How did I get here? What things happened – small and large, remembered and forgotten – that led me to this place now? This series is about deciding for yourself what your life and legacy will be. It’s about self-determination, self-propulsion, not waiting for permission, not waiting for everyone to agree, tapping into the voice inside of you and letting that spur you forward. And it’s about knowing that within your individual story, you are also a part of something larger. My highest hope is that some viewers will walk away with some of these thoughts and questions.
Kaepernick: This is a journey. You are always growing, always evolving. And we want to welcome everyone into that process.
DuVernay: And we want to remind people to honor oneself. Because if you’re still standing, and you’ve experienced any of these challenges, then you are on your path. Keep taking your steps. One after another, after another. Because there is glory in your steps. Again, THERE IS GLORY IN THE STEPS. You are the hero of your own story. Remember that.
SOURCE: Netflix Media Center