Black History Month - USA

As February comes to a close, we want to acknowledge Black History Month by sharing our appreciation for the achievements of the Black community in the USA (and beyond), and recognising an ongoing history of discrimination.

We’d like to do this by:

• Celebrating highlights of Black achievement and history from the past 12 months - choosing just a few.  For a more complete list see the article What Made Black History in 2021 by the New York Times
• Share what Black History Month means to our global team, and
• Finally, share some links and resources - also from our team - that they found helpful to learn more and show their support

Highlights, inspiring figures, and progress from 2021

• Representation: Kamala Harris as the first Black woman to be Vice President.
• Recognition: Juneteeth becoming an official federal holiday, and the Tulsa Massacre officially recognized.
• Bravery: Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles speaking out about mental health.
• Other, lesser known heroes: Alphonso David runs the country’s most extensive LGBTQ+ advocacy program; dean of Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, is a key figure in growing the number of Black medical doctors in the USA; and Aurora James, the designer who created The Fifteen Percent Pledge, encouraging representation of Black-owned brands in large retailers.

From our team

Recognition and appreciation -To me, Black History Month means recognizing that Black Americans have greatly impacted our nation and it's about special appreciation of the individuals and movements that were often down played or overlooked in school.

Holding ourselves accountable for avoiding ignorance - I understand this month as an annual reminder of something everyone should do daily: educate ourselves, our peers and actively advocate for Black persons rights, dignity and safety.

Reflecting - It means an opportunity to evaluate my privilege as a white person. An extra opportunity to reflect on ways to be more of an ally throughout the year.

Taking action - It's a matter of taking the time to recognize the sacrifices, contributions, and struggles that Black Americans have unfairly endured, and finding ways to make it right in the present and future.

Black History Month is a time to focus on and celebrate current black businesses and philanthropy, and past Black History.

Links and resources

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/black-history-month/?q=&page=1&per_page=25

https://www.pbs.org/articles/10-must-watch-black-history-documentaries

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a33561639/black-owned-businesses

https://nymag.com/strategist/article/black-owned-businesses-support-shop.html

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/News/gma-inspiration-list-making-black-history-2021/story?id=75228763

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/us/black-history-2021.html

‍