With each new month comes the celebration and remembrance of many important communities in our society. From Black History month in February to Women’s History month in March, we dedicate these days to educating ourselves on history, culture, and celebrating the different groups of people among us.
With the recent inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and his announcement of his executive order that aimed to curtail Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, people fear that these celebrations and awareness months won’t be advocated for much longer. Black History month, Pride month, and some of the remembrance days within these months are just some with activities being paused by the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Caught amidst all the uproar surrounding these decisions, Google has also been under fire for removing Women’s History Month, Black History Month, and more from Google Calendar. While they claim it was put in place last year, the controversy resurfaced after Google showed compliance with the President’s banning of DEI policies. During this time where diversity, equity, and inclusivity frameworks are at risk in citizens’ personal, work, and academic lives, it’s crucial to understand the value of these heritage months.
Celebrating diverse communities.
In a country as diverse as the United States, the celebration of people that didn’t fit the mold of a white cisgender male wasn’t always encouraged. At times these groups were even silenced. With the establishment of celebration and heritage months, people found a sense of belonging and could celebrate their beautiful roots and history.
For example, with specific remembrance days like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, MLK’s legacy is recognized, and the U.S. can celebrate a trailblazer within the Black community. Other prime examples are Women’s History Month and Pride Month, which both consist of huge parades that commemorate these communities’ accomplishments. Around the country, many big cities host Pride Parades to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, creating a safe space for love and self-expression.
“We just wanna create spaces for people to gather so we could celebrate our Pride, and also carry more diversity, inclusion, in the spirit of Oakland,” said George Smith, the Pride President of Oakland, California. The city has definitely done its job, as many have expressed their sense of belonging and inclusion when attending.
“In a period where there is so much acrimony, this celebration is bringing together diverse communities,” expressed Oakland City Council Member Carroll Fife. “This is something Oakland needs, and it’s beautiful.” With so many cities in the U.S. hosting parades to celebrate PRIDE, it’s safe to say this celebration and sense of belonging is shared by attendants across the nation.
Being heard.
Going off of the fact that many of these communities were oppressed in America for hundreds of years, dedicating a month to celebrating them also allows for their voices to be amplified like never before. Many social media influencers and companies in the past have taken the time during these celebration months to shout out amazing authors, creators, artists, and more within the celebrated community.
There are amazing creators for any topic to follow, @eltheegg and @itskaijasmine on TikTok being two Lifestyle and Beauty influencers that are great examples. From “get ready with me” videos to creative discussions, these women deserve the spotlight! Aside from social media, big companies like Barnes & Noble, and even our local bookstores like Tombolo have dedicated sections on their website, and in store, for Black History Month, International Women’s Day, and more.
These actions have a great impact on making these voices heard by the public in any creative form. While these voices should be treated equally throughout the year, it doesn’t hurt for these minority or disadvantaged groups to have the spotlight for a month.
Educating the public.
Being that everyone has come from different walks of life and forms of upbringing, it’s common for many to feel uneducated on different cultural customs, important events, or people in history from other communities. With the recognitional months that have been established, people have the opportunity to learn what they’ve been missing out on and how to be a better ally to communities that aren’t their own. It even branches out to institutions like schools, the workforce, and other organizations, pushing them to educate people about these communities in interactive ways that will help inform them for the rest of their lives.
“In my classroom, on top of the usual targeted lessons for Hispanic Heritage Month, I invite parents who have Hispanic backgrounds to come in and present to their child’s class,” said Carolina Gieczewski, a Spanish teacher in West Hartford, Connecticut. Interactive activities like this allow kids to get excited and engaged when learning about other cultures and communities. This in turn can snowball into their adult life, where they’ll be able to properly navigate diversity and inclusion.
Celebration months and holidays should never be seen as unimportant or an attempt to silence other communities. Our history cannot be erased, only passed down and used as a reason to celebrate the diversity our country is lucky to have. Uplifting the cultures and groups of people around us won’t teach hate, it will only serve as a reminder for how beautiful and eye-opening diversity can be.