L.O.V.E. is the answer

By Dr. E. Faye Williams
TriceEdneyWire.com Columnist

A few years ago, I met A.J. Ali. A.J. is a service-disabled veteran who served honorably in the U.S. Air Force as a journalist and media relations Specialist. He was based at Vandenberg AFB in California, Comiso Air Station nuclear missile base in Sicily, and McClellan AFB in California. He was a member of the USAF Soccer Team. He’s an actor, TV host, director, producer and writer. He asked several friends to write on the subject L.O.V.E. Is The Answer for a book. The book was meant to put principles of love into action to build a stronger police-community marriage with people of color. At that time, I was unsure what my approach would be. I just went to my computer, like others asked to contribute to the book, and began writing. I sent my interpretation of what he was asking the very same day. He sent a note back and told me what I had written was perfect.

What I didn’t know was that he had a lot of friends and he’d asked them to address the same subject! I’m sure you would recognize names of other writers who did a masterful job addressing the subject. The book was recently released, and now that we’re all basically confined to home, this is the perfect time for you to be introduced to “L.O.V.E. Is The Answer.” Along with the book is an award-winning film called “WALKING WHILE BLACK: L.O.V.E. Is The Answer.” See the trailer for the film at www.WalkingWhileBlack.com.

The book was developed pre-coronavirus time, but it is so appropriate for such a time as this. You can learn more about the book and the L.O.V.E. Is The Answer Movement and its writers who rose to the challenge as I tried to do putting it together with A.J.’s guidance. See http://loveistheanswermovement.com/the-book/.

The film and the book can be the answer to equip our nation to learn how to utilize the power of transformational love to break down walls and build bridges of reconciliation. When we finally come to a close of this coronavirus and all of the destruction it is leaving behind, many people will be looking for ways to be better souls. A.J. encourages us to “Learn about your community. Open your heart to the people in it. Volunteer to be part of the solution in their lives, and Empower others to do the same.” That is the acronym for the book—L.O.V. E!

He reminds us to, “Remember, this too shall pass. When we get the all-clear, do we want to return into the same broken communities, or do we want to use this time to heal our communities from the inside out? Use this time to better prepare yourself to be a bridge in your community when we are all able to reconnect in person and go about our daily routines. I challenge you to read the “L.O.V.E. Is The Answer” book, watch the film, participate in our webinars, and make this difficult time a time of learning and growth.”

While we’re confined to home, this would be a good time to invite friends to participate in Zoom calls with you and to participate in podcasts and webinars that are conducted by A.J. and the contributors. I urge you to better prepare yourself to be a bridge in your community when we’re all able to reconnect in person with others.

A.J. knows we will return to a totally different world when the coronavirus finally ends.

This article originally published in the April 13, 2020 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.