I recently had the opportunity to attend a breakfast to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was during the breakfast that the keynote speaker said something which resonated with me; “We can’t go at the work of achieving inclusion alone. It must be done TOGETHER if we are to have true change.” I took this statement as a personal call to action, and I implore you to do the same.
As a champion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, I can't assume that everyone knows the importance around why we recognize and celebrate Black History Month. Celebrating Black History is more than a month-long celebration for me personally. One thing the month-long celebration does is that it allows me the opportunity to connect with others about the importance of education and learning about the many Black Americans who have left an indelible mark on the past, present, and future of America. Including, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who is known as the "Father of Black History" and was the second African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard. Woodson dedicated his professional career to the field of African American history and the establishment of Black History Month as a national institution.
There are still many misunderstandings and misconceptions about Black History Month, and I am taking this opportunity to continue my personal learning journey so that I can be better informed about how to impact and change the future. I encourage each of you to join me by doing the same as well and taking time to connect with someone who's background may be different than yours to engage in a conversation and seek to understand. It is only in taking actions like these that we will continue to progress towards inclusion, together.
Here is a video from Stanford historian Michael Hines, that talks about the beginnings and evolution of Black History Month. I hope you will join us in learning more about this important month.