Jemele Hill on her role bringing Disney, Colin Kaepernick together for docuseries

ByEric Moody WPVI logo
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Jemele Hill on her role bringing Disney, Colin Kaepernick together
Faced with controversy amid kneeling, former NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick teams up with Disney and journalist Jemele Hill on a docuseries to tell his life story. - Eric Moody reports:

BRISTOL, Connecticut (WPVI) -- It's been a little over four years since former NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick took his last professional snap.

Faced with controversy amid kneeling during the national anthem, Kaepernick teamed up with Disney and American journalist Jemele Hill on a docuseries to tell his life story.

On Monday, Kaepernick's production team RA Vision Media announced a historic partnership with Disney across all of its platforms.

Working on several exclusive projects with ESPN Films, Kaepernick, Hill and other members of the project plan to bring awareness surrounding his journey and fight amid racial inequality and police brutality.

The series will include new interviews and other never-before-seen elements. Documenting Kaepernick's last five years is the first project in development.

"The collaboration that I have with Colin on his docuseries, I think that it's going to be something that historically people look back on," said Jemele Hill. "And get a really firm understanding about why he protested, what he sacrificed by protesting and how its life changed forever. "

Hill, who's serving as a producer on Kaepernick's docuseries says it's an honor to play the role telling Colin's story.

"This is one of the biggest stories of my lifetime as a journalist," said Hill. "When I think about some of the important sports stories that sports journalists have been around for in the past, I can only imagine what it was like to cover Muhammad Ali in real-time defending his right to not go to war."

Hill reflects on the time Muhammad Ali had to regain his heavyweight title back. "This entire journey, I think about that along those same lines. I'm not trying to say Colin Kaepernick is Muhmmad Ali, or in any way get people caught up on that comparison. But, nevertheless this is one of the biggest sports stories ever."

A former member of Disney's ESPN, Hill says she's always acknowledged Kaepernick is on the right side of history and believes this partnership is an opportunity to help reflect just that.

"As much as people look at the unrest that we're going through right now, it was a similar period of unrest," said Hill. "The difference is when he decided to take the knee, he did not have the same kind of public support and public dialogue behind him that we're seeing now."

Kaepernick's vision isn't just about content, but empowerment Hill says.

And she believes it was important to use her influence to help elevate the voices involved in this project.

"The beauty of this collaboration through Disney and ESPN, is that Colin has been able to build an enormous and immense platform," added Hill.

Just like Kaepernick, Hill says she's committed to elevating and empowering Black and brown voices.

"There's a lot of very talented people at ESPN, Black and brown people, they deserve the opportunity to be apart of what I think we be a significant culture change," said Hill.

Colin Kaepernick said in a statement:

"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. I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing."