For women and people of color in the military and the VA, there are large bodies of data, studies, surveys, and anecdotes about what is espoused and what is real.

Let’s knock out some basics: women and people of color serve in every military field.

Without unfettered power and control, we move toward a level playing field and eliminate hidden dangers like bias, bigotry, racism, sexism, homophobia, and religious intolerance – the quicksands of true equality.

The most divisive at this moment: names of places, depictions of long dead people, offensive words carved into stone or raised in metal.

We can forge new statues, chisel new stones, engrave new metal with the forms of men and women who were real heroes, yet written out of history.