It's difficult not to be aware of the events that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia over the past weekend. My wife, Gabriella, was the first person who brought the white supremacy rally that occurred in Virginia to my attention. She said to me, “Vernon, did you hear about what’s happening in Virginia?” At the time she asked me this question, I had no idea of the rally planned for the University of Virginia's campus.
After learning more about the details of the event that included the death of a protestor, I decided to write a letter to my sons. I wanted my boys to remember this moment in history, get informed about white supremacy, and understand my stance on an appropriate response. The desires I conveyed for my boys in the letter are also for my daughter. It is one of my goals as a parent, to prepare them for a day when they will engage anti-oppressive work that impacts racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, or whatever new “ism” society creates to divide people into groups. The letter that I wrote my boys took me 2 ½ hours before I decided to get some rest and revisit the piece in the morning.
Monday morning, I decided that the piece needed a platform larger than my website. I submitted the letter to The Good Men Project, and within 1 hour they accepted it for publication! The letter was published today, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my message with a larger audience.
Writing for online publications, such as The Good Men Project, allows me to reach an audience that would be impossible alone. I see writing for online publication sources as an extension of the work I do within education and the business sector to inform, inspire, and empower young people and adults. These online outlets enable me to express my viewpoints on events like the white supremacy rally in Virginia to personal and professional success strategies. Today, I am grateful for The Good Men Project’s platform to share a letter for my sons with the world.