Geography is an important subject and maps help us understand the world around us. Vernon is a Professor Emeritus at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Born in apartheid South Africa and classified as a “Coloured”. He qualified as a K12 teacher, 1969 – Dower College, South Africa and was expelled from a segregated university in 1974 for political activism. Vernon was awarded a U.S. Fulbright graduate student grant in 1975 and then studied at Clark University, Worcester, MA; obtained a Ph.D. in 1980. He has taught at colleges and universities: Dower College, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Bowling Green State University, Bridgewater State University. He has been awarded Fulbright Senior Scholar Suriname, Fulbright Senior Scholar, South Africa, Visiting Scholar, University of Malaysia, and he is a Cocoordinator, Massachusetts Geographic Alliance. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx