Book Title: Who Am I?: Self-Identity and Purpose
Author: Kevin Munga
Pages: 87 pages
Genre: Biography, Practical and Motivational
Published: 21 April 2020
Review: 4.5/5
“We are all running away from something or running towards something. Make sure you are running in the right direction (your purpose)”
Main Points Of The Book:
1- Discipline is not a restriction, it is freedom
2- Comparing yourself to anyone else is the worst mistake you could ever make
3- Sometimes you’ve got to create what you want to be a part of
4- Decisions become easy when you can live with the consequences
5- Trust God not society
Introduction:
Who am I? is an inspirational book written by Kevin munga. Kevin Munga is an Activist, Author, and Public speaker. It contains three parts with nineteen chapters. Kevin was born in Sarcelles, France during 1993, and he moved with his family to the United Kingdom in 2003 and studied Law. This book tells about the challenges that young black males face their whole life, whether in personal or in professional life. He has shared his encounters with crime and violence in his neighborhood. The first primary experiences shape our identity and thinking about right and wrong. Being born into a wealthy family, and privilege does not make that person more valuable. He has great faith in God and his prayers.
Summary:
In the first chapters, Kevin has shared his childhood. After a few weeks after his birth, his parents were awarded citizenship to the UK, and they moved there. He shares his first fight with his brother’s friend at the age of six. How a six-year-old feels pressure and what a six-year-old child knows about fighting, and it becomes his norm. At the age of nine, his mother was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis, a serious condition that results in tumors, and can harm the entire immune system. They decided to move to the UK to their aunt for the betterment of his mother’s health. He shares his sad memories of his childhood. His aunt considered him “evil” and maltreated him and his brother. He then shares his primary school life, where he quickly learned English and felt isolated. He further highlights the importance of culture and how it is defined.
His heritage is Congolese, which is extremely diverse. He says he finds himself caught between his Congolese heritage and the French/British culture. He was not born in Congo, but his mother had made sure that he becomes aware of its history, tribes, culture, and cuisine.
He describes his struggles to get enrolled in a university and his decision to apply for a low ranking university. He decided to try a business course, and he failed all the modules he had taken, except one. After that, he discovered an advertisement offering Access courses and applied for that. His application was accepted successfully, and he started his law course.
He received a huge wake-up call when he received the news of the death of his childhood friend. He shares his memories with his friend how nice he was, and he could not comprehend that the life of such an amazing individual had been taken at such an impressionable age. He began to view life for what it really was.
For blacks when they enter into respected and high-level professions, there are subliminal limitations for them. He shares his journey of activism and how the thought of writing a book came to his mind. He had various reasons to write a book like breaking a system, stigmas, stereotypes, toxic masculinity, and gangsterism. He explains detailed efforts to his community and organizations. He spoke in many schools and churches about motivation, inspiration, and culture. He shares his disappointment in giving one of his interviews when they referred to him as a former gang member even though he was not a part of it in the present. He further shares his more positive experiences of his other interviews and how much they honored him.
He says that our friends and family often advise us on what we should do, what university degree we should study, and what profession to choose. At times We even allow society to dictate what we should or shouldn’t do. We have allowed society to define what beauty means to us. That is all true. One should focus on not about doing what is popular, but about doing what is purposeful. He has shared his trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, his place of origin, his speeches there, and his Congolese TV debut. Kevin is influenced by the Martin Luther King Jr and Dr. Myles Munroe.
Conclusion:
This book highlights the struggles of black minorities and the challenges they face. This book tells the inspirational journey of Kevin Munga, a Community Activist. This book gives a great insight into the choices that we make and how we can create our future and increases faith in God and prayers. You can find this book on Amazon.
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