#Colin Kaepernick teams up with Disney for series on racial injustice

Colin Kaepernick has inked a deal with Disney for a documentary series that explores racial and social injustice.

The new venture will “showcase the work of Black and Brown directors and producers,” according to a Monday statement by Disney and Kaepernick’s production company, Ra Vision Media.

Episodes will be available on Disney-owned platforms, including ESPN, Hulu, Pixar and The Undefeated, an ESPN platform that covers racial and cultural issues, the companies said.

The first project coming out of the partnership is a series chronicling Kaepernick’s last five years. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who sparked the NFL kneeling controversy in 2017, has been unemployed as a football player for three years after launching protests against police brutality and systemic racism, which has taken the form of players taking a knee during the national anthem.

“I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects,” Kaepernick said in a statement.

“Colin’s experience gives him a unique perspective on the intersection of sports, culture and race, which will undoubtedly create compelling stories that will educate, enlighten and entertain, and we look forward to working with him on this important collaboration,” added Bob Iger, Disney’s executive chairman.

The killing of George Floyd on May 25 has put Kaepernick back in the spotlight. Last week, Netflix announced a six-episode limited scripted series with Kaepernick and filmmaker Ava DuVernay, covering his high school years. Called “Colin in Black & White,” the series follows Kaepernick’s early life as a Black child growing up with a white adopted family, as well as his football career.

Earlier in June, the ex-NFL player joined the board of directors of Medium, which partnered with Kaepernick’s publishing arm to “create feature content focused on race and civil rights in America.”

Last week, Disney said it will debut a new visual album from Beyoncé titled “Black is King” later this month on Disney .

Amid Disney’s stated commitment to highlight diversity, the Mouse House also has an important relationship with the NFL over lucrative media rights. In 2011, ESPN agreed to pay $15.2 billion for the rights to air Monday Night Football.