Once upon a time society reveled in punching down those who were different, or who they didn’t, couldn’t or wouldn’t try to understand. The internet has changed much of that in the last twenty years, some for the worse, but so much more for the better. These two words, “BE PROUD” are spray painted as a random message to strangers on a NYC sidewalk, but for my friend and I that afternoon, it was a clear sign that as men who are black, gay, and have an affinity for boots that this message was meant for us, as well as anyone else who has been made to feel shame, who didn’t quite fit in to society’s norms. Times they be a changing, too slow at times for most and myself, but we will get there. BE PROUD