Why is Black history and Black History Month important? A call to action, we would like to hear from you!
Black History and Black History Month is incredibly important to so many of us and you only need to read the testimonies and articles on https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/ to see why. Have a read and be inspired and then get in touch.
We want to hear from you, all of our Wakefield College staff and students. What are your personal stories, why do you want to be involved and why do you think it is important? You can share your thoughts and stories on blackhistory@wakefield.ac.uk
You may recall that the theme for BHM 2021 is ‘PROUD TO BE’.
Here’s more information on ‘Proud to Be’ sourced from https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/
Inspired by the 2020 Black Lives Matter events, the new campaign is called ‘Proud To Be’. It invites people of all ages throughout the UK to share what they are proud to be. For example, Proud To Be Black, Proud To Be Brown, Proud To Be Black & LGBTQ+, Proud To Be Me.
Black History Month UK are also inviting well-known celebrities and public figures to get involved and share what they are Proud To Be – as a way of inspiring as many people as possible to get involved and take part.
The campaign aims to make Black History Month 2021 personal and unique to individuals, families and communities, focusing on how we’re all making history all the time in our own ways, as well as the contributions and achievements of Black people throughout history.
It’s been a challenging time for many Black and Brown people, with so much in the media about racism, inequality and injustice. We wanted the theme of Black History Month 2021 to focus on celebrating being Black or Brown, and to inspire and share the pride people have in their heritage and culture – in their own way, in their own words.
Our Proud To Be campaign is inspired by Black Lives Matter and invites Black and Brown people of all ages throughout the UK to share what they are Proud To Be. Making Black History Month 2021 personal and unique to individuals, families and communities, focusing on how we’re all making history all the time in our own ways, as well as the contributions and achievements of Black and Brown people throughout history. By asking people to share what they are Proud To Be we can share both individual stories and the vast richness of diversity that Black and Brown people bring to the UK.
Black Lives Matter means people being able to live life to the fullest without having to compromise who they are. Everyone deserves the right to be Proud To Be everything they are and want to be in life.
The Proud To Be campaign will also focus on encouraging children and young people to share what they are Proud To Be. We’ve created a new resource pack for schools to integrate Black history across the whole curriculum all year round, and to support teachers and young people to talk about and understand issues of race and equality.
As always, honouring our past and ancestors is important in shaping our future, but it’s also important to honour our present – and ourselves. Safiya Mawusi, who helps to organise Black Lives Matter protests in Cambridge, was inspired by Rosa Parks to tackle how her city thinks about race. Specifically, Safiya was inspired by the way Rosa Parks and others boycotted the bus system for a whole year in 1955. Knowing our past is helping us to change our future and hopefully that’s a lesson that will eventually be learnt at a systemic, institutional and structural level.
I’m Proud To Be Black every single day and this Black History Month, it’s time to celebrate every single one of our stories.
Share your ‘Proud to Be’ story to blackhistory@wakefield.ac.uk