Activist and athlete Colin Kaepernick has evolved into a leading voice for the empowerment of disenfranchised communities and he’s on a mission to ensure that stories of those who have been marginalized are brought to the forefront. After being appointed to join Medium’s board to amplify the stories of Black and Brown communities, he recently inked a deal with Disney, ESPN reported.
The partnership was established through a multidisciplinary media company that was co-founded by Kaepernick dubbed Ra Vision Media. Under the deal, Kaepernick will work with Disney to develop scripted and unscripted stories about racial injustice that will be featured across platforms under the Disney umbrella including Hulu, Pixar, The Undefeated, ESPN and Walt Disney Television. Kaepernick wants to use this partnership as an avenue to not only bring diverse narratives to television and film, but to also highlight the work of directors, producers and creators of color.
“I am excited to announce this historic partnership with Disney across all of its platforms to elevate Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers, and producers, and to inspire the youth with compelling and authentic perspectives,” he said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing.” The first project under the deal will be a documentary produced by Jemele Hill about Kaepernick’s activism journey.
Bob Iger, who serves as Disney’s executive chairman, believes Kaepernick’s work at the intersection of social activism and sports will lead to the creation of compelling stories.
News about Kaepernick’s deal comes after it was announced a new series about his upbringing is coming to Netflix. The project—dubbed Colin in Black & White—is being directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay. “Colin’s story has much to say about identity, sports and the enduring spirit of protest and resilience,” said DuVernay. “I couldn’t be happier than to tell this story with the team at Netflix.”
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