Award-winning Actor Kel King on Motivation and Social Causes
One of the most eminent actors in Hollywood, Kel King, weighs in on social inequality with a motivational message to fans.
The Covid-19 pandemic has unequivocally led to a prolific public health crisis in the U.S and paved the way towards a significant economic downfall. Undeniably, this has significantly exacerbated the already-existing income gap of the nation, and has reinforced a rather harsh and unforgiving work environment for the working persons of the country.
Given how easy it can be to succumb to a feeling of distress and overwhelming pessimism during these unprecedented post-pandemic times, it is absolutely crucial to ensure you take the necessary steps needed to maintain a robust mindset and strong work ethic so that you can overcome any obstacle that comes your way.
Eminent actor and prolific philanthropist Kel King has given his take on the topic of overcoming adversity in life- detailing elements of his own personal coping mechanisms that have enabled him to overcome adversity in his own past as a black man growing up in America.
Income and Racial Inequality: Kel King’s Take on Today’s Economic Reality
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), over 35% of our world’s total private wealth is owned by just 1% of our global population. Moreover, some of the world’s most wealthy entrepreneurs (all men) have an accumulated wealth that exceeds that of the bottom 3.5billion combined.
Aside from income inequality, there is undeniably a certain element of racial prejudice, which encapsulates our society currently. Kel King has shed light on some of the most commonly unforeseen prejudices which the Covid-19 pandemic has inadvertently exposed. An example of this, of course, is the disproportionate effect the Covid-19 pandemic has had on communities of colour.
The rate at which communities of color are receiving their Covid-19 vaccine is not commensurate with the fact that they are at a significantly higher risk of developing life-threatening complications as a result of contracting the Covid-19 virus. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, black death and infection rates remain significantly higher than the rate of vaccination in those communities- serving as an overt demonstration of an element of prejudice and reconsideration, which should not be present in today’s society in accordance with our presumed cultural principles.
Furthermore, King has used his voice as a prolific actor to expose the disturbing effect that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the employment of the black community. He comments on the fact that ‘despite currently being significantly overrepresented in jobs categorized as ‘essential’ to the economy, statistics from the Bureau of Labor clearly illustrate that we (the black community) are significantly more likely to lose our jobs as a result of the pandemic in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups’.
Overcoming Adverse Times: Kel King’s Personal Take
As touched on above- and in light of the aforementioned pandemic-related issues already mentioned, King has shared some of his own personal coping mechanisms which have allowed him to overcome adversity in the past. These include:
- Take a second and ponder your previous troubles- Undoubtedly, most people will have battled with the hardships of life and adversity in the past. Getting through it will have indirectly allowed them to develop a much ‘thicker’ skin and will have undeniably contributed towards building a diligent mindset and a robust work ethic. ‘When you’re feeling helpless or weak, remember who you are, where you came from, and what you have already overcome’- Kel King.
- Recognize All Progress- It is extremely easy for persons to solely focus on their main goal and ignore all the little bits of progress that have come along the way. According to King, always ensuring an adequate amount of time is allocated towards the celebration of each small victory can come a long way in ensuring persons maintain an optimistic and innovative mindset.
- Craft a Robust Action Plan: Contracting a robust action plan and analytically detailing a person’s future goals can undeniably bring in a plethora of benefits. Aside from the obvious benefit of people being ‘practically forced’ to explore and rethink aspects of their plan as they draft it, a solidified action plan can also serve as a solid source of motivation and can consequently come in handy in times of uncertainty, distress, and unforeseen chaos.
A Final Take
As the beginning of the end of the unprecedented pandemic approaches, Kel King strives to motivate persons of a variety of economic and racial backgrounds to never give up and remains an adamant believer of always maintaining both: a strong work-ethic and a robust mental health regardless of any difficulties thrown your way.