black history is full love.
black history is full love.
it says:
be proud of who you are when
the backdrop of a world want you to
feel less. experience less. achieve less.
it is a shout against all odds. keep
your head and your heart strong.
magic can't be stopped
no matter how hard
they try.
black history is full love.
it says:
learn us. all of us. there is nothing in this world
our hue hasn’t been part of. hasn’t been backed
on. hasn’t been inspired by. more than having to
be twice as good because as we are is good
enough. from can’t see to can’t see. understand
the hyphen in african and american is the ship
that links us to two lands. the importance of
firsts and knowing who was first to remember
the shoulders we stand the fires that were made
the sankofa in our dna the melanin in our skin
we are a culture of self determination self naming.
say it loud. self love before it was called self love.
being pro-black doesn't mean anti-white or anti-anyone else. being pro-black is an affirmation. a reminder. of when it was in to declare black as wrong black as bad black as negative. a clap back saying: being black is beautiful.
"if you do plan to bring black voices to lead any trainings or workshops or talks in february please pay them double or triple their rate"
10 ways to celebrate black history month.
support black art.
support black business.
support black voices.
support black lives.
not just this month.
always.
but why this month. why a month at all. why is this a thing. why is this a this. can't we all just get along without this race stuff this racial stuff this racism stuff this uncomfortable stuff.
a retort that says: what about me. what about me. don't wipe me out. don't dismiss me.
that is why this is a this.
1+2. think about and diversify the books you read. what scholars mostly occupy your book shelves. which thought leaders do you underline. in all genres.
3. notice what sources you site. what canon do you pull from. what opinion do you bias. do you agree with everything that is being argued. what are you closed off to hearing. what does reputable mean to you. what types of evidence do you require.
4. support black owned businesses. patron your favorite local businesses with an emphasis on spending money on goods and services by african-americans. not only does it help boost the economy but it aids in the closing of the racial wealth gap, creates job opportunities, and keeps their business going. buy black always and if your local shop doesn't carry black products ask them why.
5. engage in critical social justice conversations. engagement can look like asking open-ended questions. listening with the full attention on the speaker instead of listening for your entry to interrupt the conversation. engagement looks like actually reading the books you bought in 2020 at the height of the pressure to have difficult conversations about race. engagement looks like continuing to do your personal work to check blindspots that still exist and haven't been examined deep enough.
6. expand the media you consume. list out the different types of media you intake. music. news. sports. movies. books. online message boards and platforms. notice the kind of patterns and messages being shared. wonder what is missing what is lacking what would be a bit more meaningful and fulfilling. if it doesn't have a rich texture of various voices from people of different backgrounds more than likely it is nutrition deficient.
7. reflect on the beliefs you repeat. spend time really going deep into where your beliefs rooted from. the helpful. the unhelpful. wonder how they were informed and if it is useful in continuing to have them or not. if you don't know why you have a specific thought about someone or some thing it more than likely was handed down to you and has become automatic. it's okay to pull weeds that do not belong in your garden.
8. revisit your daily routine. if you can go a whole day without coming across wisdom that doesn't enrich your life go looking in new waters. if you are doing something over and over that isn't helping you towards your goal change up your habits. african-americans are innovative. innovate your day into something beautiful.
9. inventory the information you share to your network. everyone is in a different place in life. a different chapter. a different awareness. some actively want to learn how to do and be better. some actively power their awareness of not caring. whether it is email or written letters or posts on social media you can impact one person with what you say and how you say it. see it as meeting them where they are and inviting them into goodness whenever they are ready. if you only speak of division everyone in your circle will always be divided. if you speak of unity and positivity your circle will bloom love and kindness.
10. don't wait until black history month to celebrate black history. february should be the month you present all your findings from the eleven months before and use it as a compass for the year ahead. february should be a time you celebrate all that you invested into communities of color and invite community members into your space not to educate but to inform you about the future they are creating jan thru dec. but if you do plan to bring black voices to lead any trainings or workshops or talks in february please pay them double or triple their rate.
february is the shortest month of the year. don't let black history
be the lowest priority on your list.
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