A Short Story: Musings of a COVID-19 Baby

15 Feb A Short Story: Musings of a COVID-19 Baby

Transcript

“Musings of a COVID-19 Baby” is the title of a short story I wrote as a co-author of a new collaborative book project. My name is Anita Russell. Through my work as a life coach, speaker, and author, I distrupt limited beliefs, empower deep self-knowledge, and challenge women to break barriers, unleash their true potential, and live intentionally. I’m here to tell you about my story in a collaborative book project, Voices of the 21st Century: Resilient Women Who Rise and Make a Difference,   

I wrote “Musings of a COVID-19 Baby” as a tribute to my two grandsons;  Cairo, a one-year-old, and Zane, a thirteen-year-old. It reflects a vision for my grandsons to exercise their birthright to freely exist in the skin in which they were born.

I wrote the story in the voice of Cairo, describung him as “a melanized baby boy born into a world plagued simultaneously by two pandemics—one biological, one systemic.” It speaks of a desire that his life, his dreams, and aspirations not be prematurely deferred, broken, or frozen. It speaks of his resilient family—three generations who have stood in protest of the racialized society into which he has been born.

I wrote this story as an indictment against the forces that have the potential to harm rather than nurture Cairo. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once remarked that a person should not be considered on the basis of skin color but on the content of their character. But problems arise when the perceived content of their character is tainted by myths, stereotypes, and ideologies that exist in a racialized society. Cairo represents the future of freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness through resilience and self-determination. 

Voices of the 21st Century: Resilient Women Who Rise and Make a Difference releases on February 23. Visit the official website at voicesofthe21stcenturybook.com. I’ll see you on February 23!