Black History Month
Black History Month, which Canadians celebrate during February, is a time to celebrate Black history and culture, uplift Black voices, and reflect on our allyship and internalized racism. These things should be done year-round, but time celebrating is healing for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) communities and essential to our well-being and strength. This month is for us, and secondly a wake-up call to allies. Well, that’s what this month means to me. I don’t speak for every BIPOC person.
So, I’m sure you’re probably wondering, what does this have to do with administration? How does this affect me personally? As a First Nations person, it is extremely important for me to show up for other communities. Every person of colour has faced discrimination, prejudice, racism, and hate, and experienced various forms of oppression, genocide, and violence– Slavery, Residential Schools, Child Welfare, Palestine, Sudan, the Armenian Genocide. I cannot sit idly by and watch so many people suffer. So, I use my voice when I can. A teaching an Elder gave me once, that everything and everyone is interconnected, reminds me that every little thing I do, like write this blog or share Black stories, can and will change a tiny little piece of this world. Just like everything you do can and will change a tiny piece of everything going on. It just starts with you.
This is why I will be sharing the history of prominent Black figures on my Instagram during February. I hope you can take something away from this, whether you know these figures and are reminded or this is the first time you are learning about Black history.
Other things you can do:
Read books on Black History/ Figures. Like: the Black Cabinet by Jill Watts, Four Hundred Souls by Ibram Kendi and Keisha Blain, Ida B. the Queen by Michelle Duster
Go follow these Instagram accounts: @blmnogoptbo, @opirgptbo, @racialequityinsight, @decolonizemyself
Support your DEI initiatives or request anti-racism training.
Show up to local events and buy from Black Artists
Happy Black History Month!
