A man who believed in equality and peace

There seems no better time than this moment to thank the men who are here with us on World Pulse, as I have just lost my father who died so recently at the age of 97. He believed his whole life in the goodness of people, and celebrated family and so many friends who became family in our lives. He was an artist, a film maker in our National Film Board of Canada, hired in his teens as an animator, later becoming Director of Animation and Director of English Production.

In his retirement he passionately followed the news, his deepest hope that there would be world peace.

My parents fell in love in art school, and married at 19. I was born second and have five gentle brothers. As children we were raised in a circle of artists, thinkers, debaters. Messages have been pouring in to celebrate this gentle man who died yesterday surrounded by loving family and friends. 

He had a list of who he has been donating money to end war, to protect the earth, to get care for people with disabilities, to do something about people living in poverty, and unknown to me until recently but not surprising, World Pulse. 

I am writing today to the men in World Pulse to tell you how deeply I appreciate your work behind the scenes, taking care of emergencies, understanding and supporting this leadership of women, working together to end the silencing of women and the ongoing violence toward women and girls, understanding why it is so important.

At times he felt I was too radical, not patient, but he understood when we discussed why I am so focussed on this movement, continuing to speak out about the violence still being inflicted on women and girls. He wanted to believe that it was no longer happening. We were able to talk about it. He was a dreamer, and wanted to believe that there was no more of violence in any of its forms. He believed in my work and in World Pulse.

We had a history of debating, he concerned that I would not remember that gentle men existed, me explaining that it is the stories of women I must keep telling, to undo the silencing, to keep our stories, our herstories  known, the reasons that I dedicate my time to ending all of the violence. He had lived through the time of the holocaust in Europe, his closest childhood friend we knew as Uncle Gerald had barely escaped. My father wanted it to be over, these wars, this violence. He and my mother poured out music, art, nature, storytelling, love.

I will be grateful forever that I was able to be with him this last chapter in his life and in his last moments. 

I want all of the gentle men in my life including our brothers here throughout World Pulse to know how appreciated you are. It is a gift to be working together. We know that together we are imagining a peaceful world in which the leadership, customs, traditions of women, the lives of women are respected, honoured, kept alive.

My father would be pleased to know that I have written about him here on World Pulse. He reminded me often to remember that many men want peace and do important work for women to be respected.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/robert-verrall-dead-canadian-animation-film-pioneer-1236112403/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/article-canadian-animator-and-national-film-board-pioneer-robert-verrall-dies/?fbclid=IwY2xjawH7RdBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYLaQ0JKZf4mgsRRzfmyKTcOw9MOzodkvArG-WmGW8YBaPb2aDf3nmz-BQ_aem_kj_-uuIxbhsOF-YAHHe8VQ