NFL star, activist uses AI to teach Birmingham students about civil rights

Colin Kaepernick is bringing cutting-edge technology to Birmingham City Schools, empowering students to explore civil rights history through his own innovative AI platform. The activist and entrepreneur recently visited local students as they unveiled projects developed using Lumi Story AI, a secure generative tool designed specifically for the classroom.

Bridging History and Technology

Since 2025, a partnership between Kaepernick and the school district has utilized Lumi Story AI to bolster literacy and writing skills for hundreds of students in grades 6-8. Participants have used the technology to conduct deep research and craft graphic novels centered on a pivotal moment in the city’s past: the 1963 Birmingham Children’s Crusade.

"We want them to walk out of our schools and be able to take on the world. And to do that, we have to give them the opportunity to be the builders and creators," Kaepernick said of the initiative. He emphasized that the goal is to be intentional with AI, using it as a scaffold for student growth rather than a replacement for their own efforts.

A Record-Breaking Era for Birmingham Schools

This integration of technology arrives as Birmingham City Schools achieves historic academic milestones. The district’s report card score climbed from 71 in 2019 to 77 in 2025, marking the highest mark in the district’s history. Superintendent Mark Sullivan praised the collaboration for its built-in guardrails, noting that the software helps guide student thinking rather than doing the work for them.

Students Take the Stage

On Tuesday, June 2, representatives from Hayes K-8, Green Acres Middle School, Bush Hills STEAM Academy, and John Herbert Phillips Academy presented their final projects. The event, held at the historic John Herbert Phillips Academy, allowed students to demonstrate their newfound research and storytelling abilities.

For many of the students involved, the program was a bridge to deeper engagement with their community. Phillips Academy student Jamaya Rembert noted that the experience was both fun and formative. "I love being able to speak up for what’s right, freedom and equality," she said.