Colin Kaepernick released a children’s book in September, and it’s had a massive effect on him and his community. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback’s picture book, titled, We Are Free, You & Me, centers around the Know Your Rights Camp, a cause which emphasizes the 10 rights that everyone is entitled to. All the book’s proceeds are donated to the cause.
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Couple of years back, Lamar Jackson had also come out with a children’s book of his own. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback’s book is titled, I Dream, You Dream, We Dream.
Through the book, Jackson wanted to drive home the idea that children can achieve anything that they set out for. He wanted to inspire them to never give up on their dreams. It’s a great message that children, and people everywhere can resonate with.
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The two-time MVP gained confidence to write a book after passing the ‘FCAT’ back when he was younger.
The FCAT, or the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, no longer exists. But at the time, it was Florida’s version of standardized testing. And Lamar was not confident in his writing ability when he took the test.
“I thought about writing a book after I got a 5 out of 6 on my FCAT,” Lamar explained in an interview with GQ Sports. “I was getting 3s, and I think you need a 4 to pass… Eventually I ended up getting a 5, and that inspired me a little,” he told GQ in an interview.
Lamar detailed how he was writing about Ray Lewis in the test that got him a passing grade. Little did he know at the time that he would end up playing for Lewis’ team in Baltimore.
Lamar engages in charity quite a bit
One thing common about the two children’s book authors, Jackson and Kaepernick, is that they both are majorly into charity. Lamar supports several ones, including Blessings in a Backpack — a nonprofit that focuses on getting food to elementary school kids on the weekend. He donated $25k to them back in 2018.
Forever Dreamers Foundation is the other charity Lamar founded in 2018, which focuses on mental health among the youth.
It’s clear Lamar is all about the children and the youth, something he discussed in the interview with GQ.
“The youth is so important to me because I was once a child,” Lamar expressed. “I was once looking up to icons on TV, wondering why they don’t come and show their faces. I was impacted by that.”
Ever since he arrived at the NFL, Jackson has made a concerted effort to interact with kids at games rather than adults. On his way off the field, you can often catch him signing something or taking a picture with a kid.
