Cornrows
The NFL tryout period is a time of great change. It’s a time when teams are choosing new players and making decisions about who will be the next stars of the league. This is a time when Colin, a player chosen for his skills as a cornerback, is trying to make his mark.
Colin Kaepernick was born in Wisconsin and raised in California. He was one of the few black people around, and he found a mentor in Dee Dee, a white girl. She helped him learn about cornrows, which he later used as an expression of protest against racism and police brutality. ..
Colin’s foster parents were surprised when he came home with a haircut that referenced basketball player Allen Iverson. The haircut is actually a tribute to AI, and it shows Colin’s dedication to his heritage. ..
Unfortunately, Colin’s cornrows don’t last. Not only do they make him feel like his hair is on fire, but it also has an adverse effect on his training. Teresa helps him get them done professionally.
Colin is introduced to a unique area full of black people, which helps him feel at home. Erica does a great job with his hair, and Teresa is a bit overwhelmed by the whole experience.
Erica quickly becomes a focal point of Colin’s world. He heads over to her place and immediately finds himself consumed in a different culture. Ludacris is on the TV, there’s different food on the plates and even the décor is different; it’s too much for Teresa.
In a recent interview, Colin’s baseball coaches told me that they are considering dropping him from the team because he has recently cut his hair short. When Colin presses why, Teresa eventually blurts out that it’s because he looks like a thug. With little other choice, Colin decides to get his hair cut but unable to rebel, it takes him 14 years before getting braids again. This also sows the seeds of defiant rebellion we see play out on the field all those years later.
The Episode Review
The show is set in the early 1960s, and follows Colin as he undergoes a transformation from a young man to an adult. As he starts to question the values and beliefs that have shaped his life, he also begins to question the role that America has played in his development. This dual focus on Colin’s story and world events makes for an interesting watch, and one that will likely provoke strong reactions from viewers.
The Wu Tang: An American Saga is a unique and powerful story that tells the story of Colin, an American black man who has to fight for his life in a society that doesn’t understand him. The book also introduces us to Colin’s world and the challenges he faces, making us feel for him from the very beginning.
The idea of having Colin himself narrate the show is actually okay but he’s not an actor, what with his stoic and sometimes stiff reactions to what’s happening. However, this show is undeniably engaging and certainly worth a watch thus far.
