What the Netflix Series “Colin in Black and White” Teaches us about Race, Parenting, and Growing Up
The new Netflix series is ideal for white parents, Black kids, and anyone curious about Kaepernick’s coming-of-age.
I wrote an article for CNN! In my latest piece, I talk about the new Netflix limited series “Colin in Black and White.”
I got to do a prescreening of the series a couple weeks ago, and what stood out to me was it’s relatability. Not the part about being an all-star athlete (although I did win my weight class as a boxer in college🥊) but all the parts about being a Black teen and trying to understand your racial identity.
Here’s an excerpt from the piece…
For young people struggling through what it means to be Black or bi-racial, "Colin in Black and White "offers engaging storytelling and social commentary with a dose of humor that makes the bitter pill of our racial reality a bit easier to swallow.
It raises important questions about what it means to be Black in a society that favors Whiteness and gives words to the inner struggles of trying to form a healthy self-image in contrast to the many negative portrayals of blackness that abound.
The series tackles some of the most important topics that Black kids and other kids of color face -- dating, being stereotyped as threatening or angry, withstanding peer pressure, and more.
It does so with a sensitive eye toward complex racial dynamics and with a story based on someone who is fast building a legacy as a culture-shifting activist and social entrepreneur.
Read the rest on CNN Opinion and let me know what you think!
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I've just watched the first two episodes of the show. Jaden Michael is fantastic as the young Colin K. I'm so impressed with his nuanced portrayal of a very ambitious, but also sensitive and somewhat confused, young athlete. Looking forward to finishing the series.