It has come to my attention that we have an opportunity to address an ugly tribute to the slave trade in Norfolk's history. Less than a mile from home, in Gowrie Park, there is a beautiful open space called Barraud Park. I frequently walk the park as a part of my healthcare regimen, prompted by Girl Trek, the most significant health movement for Black women.

This April, I heard Chesapeake native, author, poet, and television producer Kwame Alexander speak about his summers in Barraud Park with his grandmother. His love and how it grew him into his school's #1 tennis seed sparked my curiosity about the park's history. So I searched the internet for answers and found a 2011 Virginian Pilot article. Through this article, I learned that the Barraud family, French Huguenots from England, settled in Norfolk during Colonial times. Daniel Barraud became a successful merchant, partnering with Balfour & Barraud. His store sold goods and offered rewards for capturing self-emancipated Africans trafficked by Europeans.

My mind flashed to the service Barraud Park provides to the Black community. My heart ached for the boxing center that once was a haven for the Black Boy Joy of Olympic dreams. I heard the brass section of The Norfolk State University marching band using the park to practice during the pandemic. Anytime year round in, from 4 pm until closing, the Black residents gather to fellowship in a place named after a family that would profit from their bondage and dehumanization.

At a Civic League meeting in 2021, there was a mention that Barraud Park's recreational area was due for renovation. Also mentioned was 2.4 million dollars in America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)funds had been proposed to fund the renovation of Barraud Park. Why not use the same new beginning energy to change a name? Ruth Gordo said, "Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use." It is my sincerest hope that the City of Norfolk decides this is a necessary exercise.