Books are like a key; they open new worlds, fansites, experiences, heartbreaks, and betrayals. Books allow you to become a new person, a better person. They allow you to look up to the great leaders of our time and even previous times. Some of my favorite books include- The Autobiography of Malcolm X, The Delectable Negro, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Now, some of these books are very similar, while some are not, but each of these novels taught me valuable lessons. The Autobiography of Malcolm X taught me how to become a voice for the countless African/African Americans who face injustices in this society; it gave me a sense of black pride and made me embrace that being black is a privilege, an honor. And the privileges I possess today are because my ancestors fought hard for me. It made me want to study African-American studies so I can learn about the things my ancestors went through and not a watered-down version I learned through my years of school. The Delectable Negro, will be one of the most traumatizing things I learned about since I watched When They See Us. Learning about the starvation and the cannibalism my ancestors went through was hurtful and made me realize they endured so much more than I previously thought. These books, in particular, made me want to fight against the brutal, unruly crimes people face today. Whether it be a lynching, an unsolved murder, police brutality, or missing cases, this book, along with To Kill a Mockingbird, educated me on how messed up our judicial system was and still is. Being accused of crimes you did not do and not being able to afford to get legal access because of the color of your skin was something many people of this time faced. It made me want to join the legal system to help lower the rate of incarceration of African Americans and help represent and defend the countless black males and females who are behind bars because of coercion, no legal representation, access to funds, and much more. At the same time, I could educate them on the struggles and challenges that our people overcame. Books allowed me to learn about what my ancestors went through, and books allowed me to see what needs to change to have freedom in this society. Books are the key to making the world a better place, a safer place, and where racism and inequality do not exist; you have to pick one up and read.