Black History Month is not only a celebration of African American’s achievements but also the recognition of their struggles. Diversity allows for us to learn from others as we learn through our interactions with those who surround us. There are many different meaningful ways to celebrate Black History Month
Be open-minded
Being open-minded means, one is not colorblind, and is doesn’t let skin, race, etc. define others. To be able to learn from the diversity means that an individual is able to openly discuss and embrace the different cultures and ethnic backgrounds that surrounds him/her. One can define celebrating Black History Month as the discussing an embracing of the communities’ differences.
Being open-minded means, one is able to discuss different topics that relate back to the topic at hand. In the case of Black History Month, one must be open-minded when discussing issues of political issues, mental health in the Black community, stereotypes, and the impact of Black culture. Discussing these issues/topics will allow for new insight into a potential new topic, thus leading to a second way to celebrate Black History Month, being able to learn.
Be able to learn
In many times, one can feel as though he/she knows everything there is about a topic and becomes less inclined to learn more about whatever it is. This can also be the case for Black History Month. One should be able to say that they learned something new about the culture, the background, or even the people. There is so much to go and relate to Black History Month and therefore, one will always continue to learn. Being able to understand one’s areas of growth is an important and meaningful way to celebrate Black History Month.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then you know better, do better” – Maya Angelou
Be educated and learn more about the topic, in this case Black History Month. With that, use your knowledge to make an impact in your community. Whether through directly educating others so they can make an impact or indirectly educating others by one’s actions.
Get involved in the community
Smaller communities, including the African American community, struggle in this cut-throat environment that has been created in the world around us. Considering COVID-19 and smaller businesses experiencing hardships, one can infer that these already struggling communities will continue to struggle if not at the same level than more. A meaningful way to celebrate Black
History Month, especially this year, is to get involved in their community. Remember Black content creators, attend Black History events, or even tour a cultural center.
Black History Month allows for the celebration of African American history including their achievements and struggles. Being annually recognized across the U.S. and Canada, allows for this event to play an important role in people’s lives. There are many ways that one can go about celebrating Black History Month, of course everyone will do it in their own way. However, it is important that we recognize this event and its importance.