February is Black History Month, an “annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history.” It’s a time when we get to celebrate Black icons and Black media. It’s a time when we get to look back on history and reflect on all of the good and the bad. But this month isn’t just for the Black community. It’s for all of us. Even if it’s not your history, Black History Month is a great time to think about how you can be an ally.
It’s easy to discount Black History Month if you’re not a part of the community, but it really is something all of us should take note of. We have a responsibility as fellow human beings to rally around our Black brothers and sisters to show them our support. It’s a time for us to band together and unify, and for the privileged, it’s a time to take advantage of their status to aid a community that’s been historically oppressed.
So how can we be a good ally?
There are a lot of ways you can practice allyship during Black History Month. From a more action-oriented standpoint, you can join a protest (if you’re comfortable) and support nonprofits. You could also support Black artists, and I don’t just mean huge pop stars and influencers. I mean smaller artists and creators too. Show them your love and support, buy an art print or two!
You can also be an ally by educating yourself on Black history and Black struggles in America. Take these racial issues seriously as if they are your own, and use your privilege to amplify the voices of those who are without it.
But remember your place as an ally. Just because you’re supporting the Black community doesn’t mean you can breach certain boundaries. This should be common sense, but I’ll state it anyway. Being an ally doesn’t give you a pass to make jokes about the community, and it definitely doesn’t give you the pass to use certain words that don’t belong to you and can be extremely offensive.
We can all take part in celebrating Black History Month by learning how to be better allies. There’s something beautiful about the way communities can set aside their differences to uplift each other. Let’s emulate this compassion as we celebrate Black excellence and look back at our country’s history.