Reconciliation Statue

I’ve drove and walked past the Reconciliation Statue numerous times. One day, I stopped by and read about the history. It was a humbling experience for me. There are only 3 of these tall Reconciliation Statues in the world (Richmond, Liverpool, & West Africa). The statue was designed by Stephen Broadbent. This statue represents «honesty and forgiveness». The Reconciliation Statue is located by Main St. Station in Downtown Richmond.

While driving downtown looking for Fed Ex Office I passed two embraced figures and immediately knew this marker was something special, although I was not sure what it was.
Upon investigation I was very saddened and humbled to be viewing the statue of reconciliation. Here is a description of the statues on the website:
Dedicated 2007 CE
Identical statues in Liverpool, England; Benin, West Africa; and Richmond, Virginia, memorialize the British, African, and American triangular trade route, now identified as the Reconciliation Triangle. Traders profited from delivering over 114,000 Africans to Virginia between the 1600’s and the American Revolution — and at least 337,800 to other North American places before 1808. The «triangle» extended between Liverpool and other large British cities, Benin and other West African kingdoms, and Virginia and other North American colonies and states. Profits from the sale of enslaved Africans, profits from the commodities they produced and the benefits of these products in Anglo-​American lifestyles financed major British and North American economic development.
I truly am touched and humbled by the statue. I mean, here I am, a Black American female working for a Fortune 100 company, traveling on business and just happen to drive by this marker.. .
and I just stood there taking it all in. Speechless really and grateful that I have freedom, opportunity, and choices in life – things that every person on the planet should have.. .but sadly so many do not, even now.
I applaud those who are working for those who are not free – for those in modern day slavery, specifically sex trades.
I hope in the near future I will be able to view the other reconciliation statues in West Africa as well as Liverpool.
There is an undeniably sad history in this all, but the term reconciliation evokes hope. We can not do anything about the past, but learn from it and work for a brighter and more humane future.
God help us all.