Happy Black History Month readers! Whether you are Black or just love Black things, like UMOJA Magazine, this month serves as a reminder of all the value Black people have brought and currently bring to our nation. We are leaders in every industry, innovators in every discipline, and stars in every corner of entertainment. And yes, I say we, cause when one of us wins, we all do! It’s just like actress, writer, and producer, Issa Rae said, “I’m rooting for everyone black!” This iconic quote, Rae said at the 2017 Emmys, could not be more accurate to express how I feel in most situations that present an opportunity to support someone or something Black. However, practiced in our ever-present social climate, one might be met with unexpected controversy. Discourse over affirmative action, discrimination, and DEI this and that, have entered the conversation as ammo, aimed directly at institutions and programs that attempt to account for centuries of injustice against all marginalized groups. These attacks are consequential and, I predict, will impact the ways Black History month is honored nationwide.
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today”. Malcom X said this during the Organization of Afro-American Unity’s founding forum on June 28, 1964. At a time when violence against Black Americans would begin to water the seeds of systemic racism, X was able to see into a tomorrow where Black Americans were prepared for the future. A tomorrow that granted us a fighting chance, a tomorrow that was promised, and a promise that was secured by education.
Knowledge is empowering and can equip someone with the capability to change the world. When that knowledge is impeded, that growth is stunted, and can set a precedent for what one’s life may become. I’ll never forget the moment I realized what it meant to be a Black person living in America. Not just the realities of being doubted in school, followed in the store, or the fear of police interaction, but what my very existence meant. It meant that Black Americans today, are the descendants of people who survived the Middle Passage, Enslavement, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, up until now. Sitting with these facts disrupted my way of living, and more importantly, the way I saw myself as a Black person. After moving past anger and frustration, which I often revisit, I found myself in a place of reverence for my ancestors. This reverence has emboldened me to pursue a service-oriented career, attend an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) – Spelman College, and take every opportunity given to celebrate, protect, and honor Black history.
When I think about Malcolm, and Martin, Thurgood, Shirley, Jesse, Condoleezza, Raphael, Stacey, Kamala, my ancestors, I have hope for the future and faith that it is promised. Whether that future, free from violence, injustice, and hate, actualizes itself in our lifetimes or not, we must keep fighting for ourselves and future generations. I proudly stand on the shoulders of those who came before me and beside those who are dedicated to the fight against all odds. As cliché as it is to say, I celebrate Black History every day because understanding the past is the only way we can truly prepare for the future. Black history is happening now, and we all must play an active part in securing our future!
