Americans will soon be able to scream for ice cream and social justice. Ben & Jerry’s is teaming with Colin Kaepernick in debuting a new flavor in honor of the former NFL player, with his portion of the proceeds going to his Know Your Rights campaign, a nonprofit devoted to Black and Brown communities.
The non-dairy frozen dessert, dubbed “Change the Whirled,” will be sold nationwide beginning next year. It features a caramel sunflower butter base with fudge chips, graham cracker and chocolate cookie swirls. Like Kaepernick, the ice cream is vegan.
Calling itself “an aspiring social justice company,” Unilever-owned Ben & Jerry’s said its new flavor “celebrates Kaepernick’s courageous work to confront systemic oppression and to stop police violence against Black and Brown people.”
Known for kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality, Kaepernick hasn’t played in an NFL game since the end of the 2016 season.
Kaepernick’s portion from sales of the ice cream will support his Know Your Rights Camp, which he started in Oakland, California, in 2016.
“My hope is that this partnership will amplify calls to defund and abolish the police and to invest in futures that can make us safer, healthier and truly free,” Kaepernick said in a statement.
While touting Kaepernick’s activism, Ben & Jerry’s brand could also benefit from joining forces with the athlete, at least if the experience of Nike holds true for the ice cream maker. The sports apparel company in September released an all-black jersey commemorating Kaepernick’s activism. It sold out in less than a minute.
