2020 was a year of disruption and change. A global pandemic shook us to the core and made us see life through a different perspective. Thousands of people were dying while many others fought for their lives in hospital beds across the world. Meanwhile, thousands of others protested in the streets to make the Black Lives Matter movement heard. As so many fought a virus for their life, many Black Americans fought for their lives every day as they continued to be the target of hateful crimes.
My grandfather, J. Wesley is a 93-year-old Black pastor and owner of Wesley’s Barber Shop who shares a birthday with former President Barack Obama (August 4th) lives in Nevada who has dedicated his life to make a difference in the world. One of his biggest goals has always been to educate people on how to work together to make a big difference in his homeland. Everything he teaches those around him comes from experience. This is the motivator behind his book.
He approached me with the idea of writing a book to spread his knowledge and his experience in seven steps. His idea was to capture his experiences in one book that could change the history of Black Americans. These seven steps he writes about hold the secret to a successful life, not only for Black Americans. The book is a combination of my Uncle James, my grandfather and my great grandfather who passed when I was 17. They all raised me and are an integral part of who I am today.
The truth is that Black Americans have been terribly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many are unable to receive the medical care they need in a situation like this. In reality, African Americans are being affected disproportionately by the pandemic, and they are dying at a faster pace than any other ethnicity. My grandfather presents in his book the question of “how truly free are Black Americans nowadays?” While most individuals sit back and let the circumstances continue to worsen, he decided to come forward, acknowledge the issue, and try to come up with a solution.
In this book, readers will find information on the history of Black Americans and how it is possible to change the course of history by following certain steps. It tries to show people how if we work together, we can be the change we wish to see in the world and provide Black Americans with a better quality of living in this country.
- Wesley presents seven steps in which everyone can stop the execution of Black people thanks to COVID-19:
- Adapting to the COVID-19 lifestyle: we need to accept it is time to make changes in the way we were living and take care of one another.
- Using Empathy as a Currency: everyone is struggling and going through a rough patch, we need to be more empathetic towards those around us.
- Stop Lying: we need to be honest with our reality and the issues we have as a society.
- Health is Wealth: the healthcare system is an economic system as well. We need to treat it as such and analyze how it affects those who do not have the income or the resources to access a good healthcare provider.
- Getting Serious: it is time to stop joking about what is going on and face the reality with respect. By getting serious we will be able to move forward and make changes for the best.
- Now What?: we need to ask ourselves where we go from here and what needs to be done in order to improve the quality of Black American lives.
- BOSS: this step talks about “Business Over Silly Shit” to remark how important it is to put business, wealth, knowledge, courage, and gain over the silly things we are surrounded with.
Like many Black Americans, Pastor Wesley is tired of the treatment we are receiving and the way this pandemic has pushed us to the side once again. When he reached out to me for help, I did not hesitate to say yes. As an author myself, I knew the importance and the impact this book would have. This is the time to speak up against injustices and make our voices be heard. The COVID-19 pandemic was handled unfairly for many individuals. However, Black lives were affected the most by the racism that pushed us to the sidelines and left a vast majority of our people without access to a healthcare provider.
If you want to learn more about Black American History and how the pandemic has affected us, read STOP Execution of BLACKS via COVID-19.