Vernal Scott
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Vernal Scott was born in 1960's London to Jamaican parents and today works as Diversity and Inclusion Manager in the UK Police Service. A committed atheist, he was appointed Head of HIV services for a London borough where he organised the highly successful Reach Out and Touch HIV/AIDS Procession with Flowers. The historic 1991 event featured stars such as Whitney Houston and was privately financed by George Michael. He later invited Dionne Warwick to open his Brent HIV Centre project, a one-stop community centre for adults and children affected by the virus. Since then he's held lead diversity roles in different public sector organisations. He enthusiastically joined the Police Service in the midst of the international Covid-19 pandemic and angry BLM protests following the sadistic public killing of George Floyd, much of it aimed at the police. Vernal says: "A challenge is an opportunity and this one has got my name on it".
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God's Other Children: A London Memoir
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Non-fiction
A contender for the coveted Polari First Book Prize (UK), this non-fiction emotional roller coaster is earning high praise (see Amazon UK). Vernal Scott's writing is soulful, raw, and unashamedly human. A deeply engaging 520 pages, the overall mood could be described as dark or even disturbing in places, but the issues are always starkly human: love, hate, and loss; sex, sexuality and ‘coming out’; religion and homosexuality; domestic violence and borderline child chastisement/abuse; divorce; prejudice and equality challenges at home and abroad; gay/lesbian baby-making and parenting; family court; teen depression and suicidal bids. Even voodoo and the paranormal make a surprising (and very convincing!) appearance, as does the likes of HRH Diana, Princess of Wales, and celebrities such as Whitney Houston and others. In their respective forewords, Peter Tatchell, refers to it as “painful and shocking in its exposure of raw prejudice.” Sir Nick Partridge describes the book as “remarkable, sobering and powerful.” Scott relives the truly horrific impact of HIV and AIDS on both gay and heterosexual communities. With 75 million people directly affected around the globe, his book captures the essence and relevance of World AIDS Day and the actual experiences of the men, women and children behind the horrendous statistics. It makes tearful, heartbreaking reading...especially when AIDS comes home...
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