In this touching memoir by Will Jawando - Yemi being his African name - he was determined to become a statistic on the positive side of America’s skewed racial balance sheet. Facts prove that racism is a multi-system disease and there might not be a cure. The author, in this self-narrated audiobook discusses seven men who made a huge impact on his life. Some of these men include his stepfather, Joseph Jacob, Mr. Williams, his math teacher, Barack Obama and others.

Race and family in America take on new meaning in this introspective book from a man who took on a role in the political world. Throughout his journey, Mr. Jawando illustrates how these men all played pivotal roles in his life. Also, he also sought out his African roots, and that helped to further mold him. His eventual reconciliation with his biological father was something that helped him tremendously.

Although this book is written strictly from the author's perspective, his strong statements about the issue of racism really hit home for me. One such quote that really resonated with me is "enthusiasm, eagerness, and a desire to be acknowledged for something positive--all qualities that were encouraged and rewarded in my white peers while they were discouraged and penalized in me." This is Will Jawando's personal experience. This is my personal experience as well. He also showed how we often internalize injustice and unfair treatment because "repetitive chastisement narrows us".

This book was captivating and uplifting and will be with me for a long time. I hope this author writes more books like this because change is needed in today's world.

Many thanks to Ferrar, Straus and Giroux and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/zvzbNrKezrQ

My Seven Black Fathers is a special memoir written with a focus on Yemi/ Will's life growing up and the impact that the black men in his life had on him.

Will focuses on the role of race, masculinity, education, and family in the lives of Black boys in the United States today. The mentors in his life confront each one of these in their own way to help him grow and become the husband, father and activist that he is today.

His story is a deeply personal one and you can feel the deep appreciation of the Black male experience coming through the memoir. It is an important look at what it means to find yourself and the people that help you along the way.

I loved reading this and seeing the difference in other people's lives. It is an interesting, introspective look at growing up and how important mentors are in a young person's life.

Final thoughts, this memoir was an honest look at the life of Will Jawando and I enjoyed every minute of it. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-written and introspective memoir.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy to review. When I saw the cover on the NetGalley website, I immediately requested since Will Jawando is on my county’s council. It was wonderful to read about his family’s background and learn about the 7 Black men who had such an influence on his life, along with others. The local references to places I know were nice to read. Jawando has dealt with a lot despite growing up in one of the most diverse counties in the country. I look forward to more from him in his future political career.