Even today, people are judged not by the value they add but by the color of their skin. As racism persists in a place known to be called "The Land of the Free," we have to ask ourselves, "Are we really free?"

In 2020, we saw the world chanting "I can't breathe" for an innocent Black man whose demise was among the countless lives that were suffocated, stripped of their voice just because of their appearance. The George Floyd protests were rare occasions when people worldwide united against the forces of hate, giving us hope that maybe there is a brighter tomorrow.

However, how do we ensure our voices impact future generations?

Without knowledge, there is no power. We must first examine and research America's history of racial inequality before we pursue fighting to regain what we have lost for reparations.

And helping us achieve just that, there is a man who presents a guide for anyone wishing to step forward with strength and bravery to help change the world. Through his book, author, director, producer, and actor K. Snyder strikes up meaningful conversations among people of all castes and races as a step to combat suppression. Reparations 101 is a comprehensive book that examines and discusses the issue of reparations for African Americans in the United States.

It's a carefully researched and honest work of art that delves into the more complex and highly overlooked aspects of racism in the past to help us build a better future for our children. Let's delve into the brilliant mind of K. Snyder and his thought process writing the book.

Meet K. Snyder

Snyder's story began in Hampton, VA, where he grew up in an average lower middle-class neighborhood with an average middle-class high school. He used to play the trumpet in the Phoebus High School band.

When he reached college at VCU in Richmond, he continued his musical endeavors, playing in bands, and began taking his music more seriously. After leaving college, he traveled to the City of Angels, L.A., in 1990, just like so many pop stars on the rise, entering the state with their dreams on a demo tape.

What most of those aspiring artists would realize is that there is more to the industry than music itself. He found himself in what he describes as the "music business meat grinder." He also got into a scuffle with his management with a major label, which made him exit the music scene entirely.

However, he did not give up. He had developed his talent as a songwriter and persisted in making a name for himself in the industry. Soon, through friends and connections in the music business, he got his break as a WGA apprentice on the third season of a show whose intro kind of goes like, "Now, this is a story all about how my life got flipped-turned upside down…"

If that didn't ring any bells, he was a part of the pop sensation, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," starring Will Smith, where he learned to put his songwriter's creativity into the sit-com format. He particularly thanks Will Smith for the opportunity.

After a couple of seasons working on the show, he wrote for many other industry-defining titles, including the original pilot of the Jamie Foxx Show, which he is particularly proud of.

After numerous seasons in what he likes to call "the Negro Leagues" of T.V. comedy, he attempted a leap to feature films writing his first unproduced screenplay and working behind the scenes as a writing troubleshooter and script doctor for his friends and others in the industry.

1. Snyder still wanted to step his game up to the next level; hence, he began working as an independent writer, director, and producer to take more control of the process after seeing firsthand what happens to great scripts in the hands of "hack" producers and directors.

His persistence is a hallmark to all those who wish to make a name for themselves wherever they go, standing up for their talents and what they believe in.

Perhaps the most vivid example of his determination and plight to make a change is his book, Reparations 101. What was the inspiration behind the read? Let's find out.

Where Change Begins

Over the years, Snyder was able to contribute his expertise to every studio and outlet, continuing his scriptwriting endeavors and pilots across many formats, genres, and platforms, from feature films to dramatic pilots to unscripted reality shows.

He was working on a screenplay when he saw a news piece about the reparations task force in California writing a report on the subject that would become the de facto document of record.

Almost immediately, he had severe reservations about the process of producing such a document by so many hands, with varying motives and degrees of commitment combined with the inherent political compromise associated.

As a result, he decided to pen Reparations 101 to give the people a brief and easy-to-read introduction and analysis of the topic, providing them with intellectual clarity and moral conviction before they attempt to climb the 1200-page mountain of information contained in the task force report.

Now, he presents that very gift of knowledge to readers worldwide.

With Reparations 101 and Reparations-101.com, he wishes to ignite global conversation and debate on the issue. Unlike most political leaders, analysts, and authors, he doesn't claim to have the answers but the zeal and will to make a change and start a discourse here and now.

He hopes to reach at least 50 million Americans with his book, stimulating the intellectual clarity and moral conviction necessary to create "critical mass competence" on the subject.

And that's where change begins.

For more information, reach out to the author on his website.