Who Is Nessa Diab? All About Colin Kaepernick's Girlfriend

Colin Kaepernick (L) and Nessa attend the Netflix Limited Series Colin In Black And White Special Screening at The Whitby Hotel on October 26, 2021 in New York City
Colin Kaepernick (L) and Nessa attend the Netflix Limited Series Colin In Black And White Special Screening at The Whitby Hotel on October 26, 2021 in New York City
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Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and his longtime girlfriend Nessa Diab are officially parents! The couple welcomed their first child together in the summer of 2022 and announced the news a few weeks after the baby's birth.

"Recovering after delivery has been a journey (more on that later) and honestly I wasn't going to share anything because this is sooooo personal to us and I realized I'm a complete mama bear," Diab wrote on Instagram. "Colin is the most amazing dad and I'm soooo grateful that he is by our side for every moment of this journey."

The new parents have been romantically linked since 2015 and Diab has also been a vocal supporter of Kaepernick, often defending her boyfriend against detractors. Together, they founded the nonprofit organization Know Your Rights Camp to support Black and Brown communities as well as Ra Vision Media, a media company that showcases the talents of Black and Brown professionals.

RELATED: Colin Kaepernick Revealed as the Face of Nike's 'Just Do It' Campaign in the Wake of NFL Protests

So, who is the quarterback's biggest supporter and mother of his child? Keep reading to find out more about Colin Kaepernick's girlfriend Nessa Diab.

She comes from an Egyptian family

Nessa and Colin Kaepernick attend The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City
Nessa and Colin Kaepernick attend The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City

Neilson Barnard/Getty

Diab is the daughter of Egyptian parents who emigrated to the United States before she was born. In a 2014 episode of the Guy Code podcast, she opened up about her parents' sacrifices, including her father moving to America with only $200 in his pocket.

"My dad worked so hard," Diab shared. "My dad had like three jobs when he came out to the U.S. [including] security guard. And he had to get his credits from Egypt transferred at UCLA so it could be equivalent to American degrees and whatever. But they just worked really hard. So every time I think I'm working hard, I just remember my parents. My mom used to clean up hotels. Even though she is a scientist, they wouldn't give her a job because she was supposedly overqualified."

She lived in Saudi Arabia

Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab attend as O, The Oprah Magazine hosts special NYC screening of "A Wrinkle In Time" at Walter Reade Theater at Walter Reade Theater on March 7, 2018 in New York City
Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab attend as O, The Oprah Magazine hosts special NYC screening of "A Wrinkle In Time" at Walter Reade Theater at Walter Reade Theater on March 7, 2018 in New York City

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

She was raised in Southern California, but Diab spent a lot of time in Saudi Arabia when her father was transferred there for work. She recalled some of her earliest memories being fraught with conflict on a podcast.

"Bombings and all that was so normal when I was growing up. Terrorist attacks were always happening in Saudi Arabia. Always," Diab said. "We lived in a compound, and I was so used to it."

She added, "I remember this one terrorist attack that happened in Saudi Arabia. I was making a friendship bracelet, and our air conditioning blew all the way in the apartment. And it was just a terrorist attack. It was just so normal."

She is an on-air personality 

Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab attend the Premiere of Netflix's "Colin In Black And White" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California
Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab attend the Premiere of Netflix's "Colin In Black And White" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California

Frazer Harrison/Getty

Diab graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in mass communications.

After stints at iHeartRadio and L.A.-based station Power 106, she got her big break on MTV as the host of Girl Code, the spin-off of the popular reality comedy television series Guy Code. This paved the way for hosting gigs on other MTV and VH1 properties, including The Real World, Teen Mom, Snooki & J Woww after-show specials and multiple The Challenge reunions.

She is a prominent voice on New York City's legendary radio station Hot 97, hosting Nessa On Air, a nationally syndicated radio show in over 15 markets.

In 2018, she succeeded Cat Greenleaf as the host of the long-running interview segment Talk Stoop. In 2019, Diab received a New York Emmy nomination for her work on the Emmy Award®-winning program.

She is one of Kaepernick's biggest supporters 

The Talk Stoop host has long defended her partner amid NFL criticism. In 2019, Diab tweeted in response to a claim that rapper JAY-Z and the NFL consulted with Kaepernick ahead of the league's partnership with Roc Nation, writing, "THIS is a lie. COLIN never spoke to JAY-Z and NFL ahead of that deal being done. They NEVER included him in any discussion."

RELATED: Colin Kaepernick Lands Workout with Las Vegas Raiders Following Discussion of NFL Return

She also had Kaepernick's back when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged the league was wrong for "not listening to NFL players earlier" and encouraged "all to speak out and peacefully protest" in June 2020. Diab reminded the commissioner that the quarterback was still paying the price for his activism.

"And you @nflcommish STILL have @Kaepernick7 blackballed for peacefully protesting," she tweeted in response.

Diab has continued to support Kaepernick, often posting about her boyfriend on Instagram. On Feb. 8, 2023, she praised the former NFL player for his work on the KYRC Autopsy initiative, in which Kaepernick is working to fact-check police killings. She shared a video that featured a Sports Illustrated photo of the athlete with "The Reliever" written over an image of him looking down.

"@kaepernick7 your consistency, dedication to help others is special and sadly it cost you to be exiled from something you worked so hard for since you were 8 years old. I do believe though when it's all said and done you will always be loved and celebrated for being on the right side of history," she wrote.

On March 9, 2023, Diab posted about her boyfriend's work again, congratulating him for the publication of his graphic novel Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game, which details the athlete's high school years.

"Keep going Colin!!! @kaepernick7 everything you create is done with loving intention, clarity and grace. You make it look soooooo easy but I know how much time and energy goes behind everything," Diab wrote in the caption.

"I'm always proud and inspired by YOU," she added.

She is an outspoken activist

Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab attend the Premiere of Netflix's "Colin In Black And White" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California
Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab attend the Premiere of Netflix's "Colin In Black And White" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California

Frazer Harrison/Getty

In October 2016, Diab and Kaepernick co-founded Know Your Rights Camp with a mission to empower the youth in Black and Brown communities. Diab is also an advocate for women's issues, including reproductive rights. In 2015, the radio host teamed up with comedian Carly Aquilino to tour college campuses as a part of Plan B One Step's Perfectly Imperfect campaign, which educated women on the options available to them when faced with an unexpected pregnancy.

RELATED: Colin Kaepernick Gets Docuseries, Partnership with Disney to 'Elevate Black and Brown' Voices

"There are so many myths floating around," Diab told PopSugar. "As women, it's so important that we educate each other with actual facts and that we're able to spread the truth about our health, our body and what matters to us."

She has spoken at the United Nations

The radio host is known for championing women and in 2015, she was invited to the United Nations to discuss women in media and the challenges they face in the industry. She commemorated the milestone with a post on Instagram.

"UN Headquarters #usfmep #NY to speak on Women and Media Discourse," she wrote. "Thank you to the amazing panelists who joined us and continue to inspire me. It has been a dream to use my blessings to help bring awareness to issues that continue to hold us back...This is just the start. Please ask yourself what have you done to help your community grow in a positive way. If you can't answer-don't worry...it's never to late. Find out what issues touches your heart and become part of the solution. Love and Peace ❤️."

She shares one child with Kaepernick

Colin Keapernick and Nessa Diab attend Tyler Perry Studios Grand Opening Gala - Arrivals at Tyler Perry Studios on October 5, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia
Colin Keapernick and Nessa Diab attend Tyler Perry Studios Grand Opening Gala - Arrivals at Tyler Perry Studios on October 5, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia

Prince Williams/Wireimage

On Aug. 28, 2022, Diab and Kaepernick announced the birth of their first child together. In a black-and-white photo posted on Instagram, the new parents sat on a hospital bed holding their newborn.

"I thought long and hard about sharing our life-changing news today. ... Colin and I welcomed our amazing baby to the world a few weeks ago, and we are over the moon with our growing family," Diab wrote, also calling Kaepernick an "amazing dad."

While the couple did not disclose the baby's sex or name, the new mom did end her Instagram caption with her boyfriend's last name, writing, "Love, The Kaepernicks."

In October 2022, Diab opened up about her life as a new mom in an Instagram post. She shared a photo of herself pumping while surrounded by a hair and makeup team. "I've experienced so much while I was on maternity leave and I look forward to sharing it with you," she wrote in the caption. "It's taken me a second to fully digest everything and to find different ways to express it." She then listed things she's felt and learned as a parent, including "Worried about my milk supply," "Our baby is Colin's TWWWWWIIINNN 🥰" and "Feeling LOVE I never knew existed."

On Nov. 3, 2022, Diab wished Kaepernick the "happiest of birthdays" and called him the "greatest father" to their baby.

"I wish I could write more but our baby needs me lol," she wrote on Instagram. "WE LOVE YOU!!!!"