The Five Pillars Of Colin Kaepernick’s New Empire: From NFL Comeback To $4M AI Startup In 2025
Eight years after his last snap in the NFL, Colin Kaepernick has successfully transformed from a professional athlete into a multi-platform entrepreneur, social justice icon, and tech innovator. Today, in late 2025, his life is a complex matrix of rigorous physical training, groundbreaking media production, and deep-rooted activism, all aimed at advancing the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback is not just staying busy; he is building a formidable, interconnected empire that leverages his global platform to effect systemic change and create new pathways for independent creators across multiple industries.
The most persistent question, "What is Colin Kaepernick doing now?" is no longer singular—it requires a multi-faceted answer that spans the football field, the boardroom, the publishing world, and the front lines of the civil rights movement. While his commitment to an NFL return remains a central, highly-publicized goal, the bulk of his daily work is dedicated to his three core organizations: the Know Your Rights Camp, Ra Vision Media, and Kaepernick Publishing, a portfolio recently bolstered by his ambitious new venture into artificial intelligence with the Lumi AI startup. This is the definitive, updated look at the five major pillars of Colin Kaepernick's life and work in 2025.
Colin Kaepernick: A Brief Biography and Profile
Colin Rand Kaepernick’s journey is one defined by athletic excellence and profound social conviction. Born on November 3, 1987, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he was adopted at five weeks old by Rick and Teresa Kaepernick, who raised him in Turlock, California. His early life was marked by a passion for sports, leading him to excel in baseball, basketball, and football.
- Full Name: Colin Rand Kaepernick
- Born: November 3, 1987 (Age 38 in late 2025)
- Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
- Parents: Rick Kaepernick and Teresa Kaepernick (Adoptive)
- College: University of Nevada, Reno (WAC Offensive Player of the Year)
- NFL Career: San Francisco 49ers (2011–2016)
- Career Highlights: Led the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII; holds the NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game (181 yards).
- Activism: Began kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality and racial injustice.
- Partner: Nessa Diab (Media personality and activist)
Pillar 1: The Relentless Pursuit of an NFL Comeback
Despite being out of the league since 2017, the dream of an NFL return is not a faded memory for Kaepernick; it is an active, daily pursuit. In a July 2025 online interview, the quarterback, now 38, confirmed he is still training with the intensity of an active player, stating he feels physically ready to step back onto an NFL field.
Intense Training and Media Speculation in 2025
Kaepernick continues to share videos of his rigorous training regimen on social media, showcasing his powerful arm strength and continued athleticism. This relentless dedication ensures his name remains in the conversation whenever a team faces a quarterback injury or needs a high-profile backup.
The 2025 season has seen renewed speculation. Some analysts have publicly predicted a potential signing, with the New York Jets often mentioned as a possible destination, particularly as a reliable, experienced backup option. While a contract has not materialized, Kaepernick’s continued fitness and public statements confirm his unwavering determination to prove he can still compete at the highest level of professional football. His longtime partner, Nessa Diab, has also publicly stated that he is "still chasing an NFL comeback dream," suggesting 2025 could be the year.
Pillar 2: Media and Storytelling Through Ra Vision Media
Beyond the gridiron, Kaepernick has established himself as a powerful force in the entertainment industry. Founded in 2016, Ra Vision Media is a multidisciplinary production company dedicated to providing a platform for Black and Brown creators to tell their own stories.
The Disney First-Look Deal and Key Projects
The company's profile was significantly boosted by a major first-look deal with Disney. This partnership has allowed Ra Vision Media to develop a slate of fictional and non-fictional entertainment projects, including documentaries, scripted series, and docuseries.
The most notable project to date is the Netflix series, Colin in Black & White, which chronicles Kaepernick's high school years and the experiences that shaped his social consciousness. This project, co-created with Ava DuVernay, exemplifies the company's mission to use media as a tool for education and empowerment, offering a curriculum guide to accompany the series.
Pillar 3: Tech Innovation with the Lumi AI Startup
In a surprising but strategic move, Kaepernick has entered the technology sector with the launch of his AI startup, Lumi. The idea for the company emerged directly from the challenges he faced while building his media and publishing ventures.
Democratizing Content Creation
Lumi recently emerged from stealth mode with a $4 million seed round, signaling serious investor confidence. The platform's mission is to democratize content creation, giving independent creators and artists AI-powered tools to independently create, publish, and monetize their work.
The platform is specifically focused on helping creators forge hybrid written-illustrated stories, such as comic books, graphic novels, and manga. By placing powerful AI tools in the hands of marginalized creators, Lumi aims to disrupt the traditional publishing and media gatekeepers, aligning perfectly with Kaepernick's broader mission of empowering Black and Brown communities.
Pillar 4: Activism and Education with Know Your Rights Camp
The Know Your Rights Camp (KYRC) remains the cornerstone of Kaepernick’s social activism. Founded in 2016, the organization is a non-profit dedicated to advancing the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, and mass-mobilization.
The Ten Points and Ongoing Camps
The KYRC’s work is based on Ten Points—a blueprint of principles ranging from the right to be safe and the right to an education, to the right to be brilliant. The organization hosts free camps across the country and internationally, committed to nurturing the next generation of civil rights leaders. The organization’s 2024 "Wrapped" confirmed a year of powerful initiatives, and planning for events like an Oakland 2025 camp is already underway, showing its commitment to continuous, on-the-ground impact.
In addition to the physical camps, KYRC provides resources to combat systemic oppression, including legal defense funds, educational materials, and grants to organizations working on issues like police violence and criminal justice reform. Kaepernick’s role as a human rights activist is fundamentally tied to the success and expansion of this organization.
Pillar 5: Elevating Voices Through Kaepernick Publishing
In 2019, Kaepernick extended his platform into the literary world by founding Kaepernick Publishing. The company’s mission is to elevate new and diverse voices, focusing on works that challenge the status quo and offer perspectives often excluded by mainstream publishers.
Key Publications and Future Projects
The publishing house has released several significant works. One of its most influential titles is the manifesto Abolition For The People: The Movement For A Future Without Policing & Prisons, which was edited by Kaepernick himself. This book directly addresses the issues of police brutality and criminal justice reform that sparked his initial protest.
Looking ahead, Kaepernick Publishing is also reaching a younger audience. In partnership with Scholastic, Colin and Nessa Diab announced plans to publish the picture book We Are Free, You & Me, with 100% of their proceeds being donated to the Know Your Rights Camp. Furthermore, Kaepernick is self-publishing the print and e-book edition of his own highly anticipated memoir through his publishing company, ensuring he maintains complete control over his narrative.
The Legacy and Future of Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick’s current life is a testament to the power of leveraging one’s platform for a purpose greater than oneself. While the question of his NFL return dominates headlines, the reality is that his impact is now far more extensive than football. His business ventures—Ra Vision Media, Kaepernick Publishing, and Lumi AI—are all interwoven with his core activism, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem designed to empower Black and Brown communities and challenge systemic oppression.
Whether he takes another snap in the NFL or not, his legacy as a civil rights activist, a media mogul, and a tech innovator is already cemented. The five pillars of his current work demonstrate a strategic, long-term commitment to social justice that continues to evolve and expand its reach globally in 2025 and beyond.
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