Good morning, and Happy Black History Month. I have been receiving emails from this online community organization for a few years now, and it’s a great way to stay present during this month. This year, I decided to open the floor to all of you followers and get some conversations going—whether that’s here online, or in your own lives.
This year’s theme is A Century of Commemorations, because Black History Month itself began one hundred years ago. Each week I will compile all the reflections from the topics covered and share both the questions and my thoughts with you all. I will briefly go over the day so you can get a picture of what we are talking about, but if you are interested in all the details feel free to use this link and subscribe.
February 1st 2026: Jerry Rescue Day
– The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
– The law denied anyone accused the right to testify in their own defense or receive a jury trial.
– October 1, 1851, William Henry—known as Jerry—arrested him on false theft charges, later saying he was being seized under the Fugitive Slave Act.
– The Liberty Party, the first national political party in the United States dedicated specifically to the abolition of slavery, was holding its state convention that day.
-“…Abhorrence of the Fugitive Slave Bill poured in burning words from every tongue. The very stones cried out.” – Rev. Samuel J. May
-They stormed the police office and freed Jerry. For four days, abolitionists hid Henry in Syracuse. They then transported Jerry by wagon to Mexico, New York, then to Lake Ontario, where he crossed into Canada. In Canada, Henry lived as a free man until his death in 1853.
Reflection Questions
1. Which current events does this story remind you of? What parallels can you make between Syracuse and Minneapolis, or other cities where major confrontations like this have taken place?
As the question suggests, this does sound a lot like Minnesota right now. In addition to Minneapolis, major cities like New York, LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, even Denver have outspoken mayors and people in charge claiming that ICE is not welcome in their cities. Yet in truth, they are still here, capturing and detaining innocent citizens and humans. It also reminds me of my new coworker mentioning that his wife works with detained persons in Denver on working out their case details and release when dealing with such an unjust system. The citizens of Syracuse numbered in the thousands protesting Jerry’s arrest and that is what is happening across the country where people are taking to the streets to make their voices and presence heard.
2. The Jerry Rescue showed how people of different races worked together to resist an unjust law. What unjust systems today require similar courage and coalition-building to confront?
Literally everything. The more divided we feel, the less we can get done. I know it’s easy to say, as a person with genuine white privilege, that we should all work together. I don’t have to worry about getting a chance to speak or getting a seat at the table. However, I do have to consider that I may not be the one to know which laws are the ones to resist and when. I personally am not a leader or organizer when it comes to resistance, but I think I can take direction and provide feedback well. To fight ICE, for example, we have to stand up for people when we know that there is an underlying sense of fear that we could be next. There is security in knowing that I am not the one being targeted, or I am not in a situation where I am likely to be targeted, yet it can happen to me if the tides change. But it goes beyond ICE. Police reform faced backlash simply due to the fact that “Defund the Police” as a concept went over people’s heads. An institution built on the idea that we needed a new way to enslave people who were now free is surely not one that we should be letting police us. From the streets to imprisonment, the system is truly fucked. Environmental land protection is another one that until it affects you, it’s easy to look away. But what about the people who were forced into certain areas of this country, and then the government decided to pollute and destroy that land against your will? What about bodily autonomy. This one surely requires courage and coalition-building to confront. Unfortunately I could go on and on about this. Every issue is a nonpartisan issue when you think about it.
3. Consider how ordinary Syracuse residents—craftspeople, clergy, and merchants—took extraordinary risks to free Jerry. What role can everyday people play in challenging injustice in their own communities today?
I think that this is such a valuable question, because as you can see from my previous reflection, things can seem overwhelming. I think one of the easiest ways to challenge injustice in your own community is to keep asking people, “why?” When someone says something sus or comes at an issue without any perspective, ask them why they think that or what they mean. Ask them to explain themselves, and keep doing so, until they start to potentially hear what they are saying. If you ask enough people why, it really can open their eyes. More than that, you can maybe create a web of connectivity on your circles. Social circles, labor circles, familial circles, and see where you have a potential ally. My friend’s neighbor was detained by ICE. They post it on their story, or they confide in me about it. I think about Lawyers I know, or people who work for Non-Profits that can assist with this situation, or I know someone in childcare that can take in their children for a week or two. Etc. Using your privilege, whatever it is, is also the least you can do.
February 2nd 2026: Black Music Month
– Black culture–particularly African American culture–has deeply influenced much of the music in the U.S.
– But, throughout history, Black artists have had to fight to be represented in the industry.
– During Jim Crow, performers would be invited to perform, yet unable to eat at nearby restaurants or stay at local hotels. In the 50s and 60s, artists considered to be “too Black” wouldn’t get the same airtime on the radio. From 2012 to 2020, Black artists received only 26.7% of Grammy award nominations, despite representing over 38% of all artists on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. And since its inception, only twelve Black artists have won the Grammy Album of the Year Award, including Beyoncé’s win in 2025, the first Black woman to win in the 21st century. Even today, the racial discrimination in tech makes it more difficult for Black artists to break through the algorithm.
– Along with a group of Black artists and music executives, Kenny Gamble and Ed Wright formed the Black Music Association in 1978 (which continues to this day). Through their advocacy efforts, President Jimmy Carter publicized June as African American Music Appreciation Month in 1979 and hosted a celebration on the White House lawn featuring prominent Black artists, including Sarah Vaughan, Chuck Berry and Billy Eckstine.
– This was a major step forward for the movement, but Black Music Month hadn’t formally been enacted as an official observance. That’s when DJ, media strategist, and activist Dyana Williams stepped in. In the late 90s, she worked alongside former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah to draft House Resolution 509, better known as The African-American Music Bill. It garnered unanimous support in the House of Representatives before President Clinton signed it into law.
Reflections
1. Consider the music you listen to regularly. How much of it has roots in African American musical traditions?
I would have to say most of it. Hip-hop, Rap, R&B, Jazz, soul, etc. Hell even pop I bet is a combination/inspiration from it all. Most all of the music I listen to has roots in African American musical traditions.
2. Williams, Gamble, and Wright had to advocate for official recognition of Black music’s contributions. What other cultural contributions from marginalized communities do you think deserve greater recognition and celebration? How can you help amplify these stories?
I think we are seeing it more now due to tiktok, but it is still highly controversial: Food. I am loving how much I can learn about other culinary traditions, techniques, and flavors from the internet. Unfortunately white-people love to claim things for themselves, or hate on something that is different. I think even though I am seeing it and its all over the internet, it may not be all over everyones internet until a white person claims to have discovered it. We can help by listening to the people with real connections and ties to the origins of the food and the traditions. Amplifying their voices and giving credit where credit is due.
February 3rd 2026: Jackie Robinson Day
– Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, in 1919 and raised in Pasadena, California. His athletic genius was quickly evident at UCLA, where he became the first athlete in the school’s history to win varsity letters in four sports: baseball, basketball, football, and track.
– His sports was interrupted when he was drafted for service during World War II, and served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. While stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, Robinson was court-martialed for refusing to move to the back of a segregated bus, and was eventually honorably discharged.
– After, Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues, where he caught the attention of Branch Rickey, general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
– On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Before a crowd of 26,623 spectators, more than 14,000 of whom were Black, Robinson became the first Black player in Major League Baseball’s modern era, and ended the 80+ year baseball color line for good.
– During his first season, he faced intense racism from other teams, fans, and his own teammates. Nevertheless, he finished the year winning the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award. And the Dodgers had thousands of new fans, predominantly Black people who’d travel across state lines to glimpse Robinson in action.
– Robinson played ten seasons with the Dodgers, compiling a .311 career batting average and helping the team win six National League pennants and one World Series championship in 1955.
– In 1962, he became the first Black player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
– From here, Robinson invested more time in civil rights work. He campaigned actively for the NAACP and worked with political leaders, including President Richard Nixon and New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, to advance civil rights legislation and economic opportunities for Black Americans. In 1963, Robinson and his family publicly joined the March on Washington.
– In March 2004, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig announced that April 15th would be “Jackie Robinson Day” across the league, honoring his achievements both on and off the field.
– Now, every ballpark in the MLB celebrates Jackie Robinson by sharing his story and honoring recipients of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, an organization created by Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson’s wife, that provides four-year scholarships coupled with mentoring, job placement and leadership development opportunities.
– Since 2007, on this day, all players, coaches, managers, and umpires across Major League Baseball wear number 42—the only number retired league-wide in any professional sport. No one will ever be assigned the number “42” for any team again.
– Jackie Robinson died of a heart attack at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, on October 24, 1972, at age 53.
Reflections
1. Jackie Robinson faced racism from fans, opposing players, and even his own teammates, yet he persevered. What gives you the strength to stand up against injustice when others oppose you?
The strength comes from feeling empathetic and connected to those experiencing injustice. If you can’t put yourself into someones shoes then there’s no chance you’ll be able to stand up for them. I feel like I know I have people in my corner, ready to stand up for me as well if needed. I think there’s certain instances where we can use white-privilege for good, and standing up against injustice is certainly one of those times. I think too, doing the research and work to understand injustice from the roots is helpful in lending strength. Knowing you have answers to questions and oppositions makes it less scary to face someone. Knowing what you stand for and why is powerful.
2. Branch Rickey saw baseball as a place where he could start addressing racism. Where do you see opportunities in your own work or community to challenge discrimination?
I certainly have been feeling in while working in young women’s sports this past year. The majority of the girls I am coaching are white, and I think it’s important to make poc young girls feel included, welcomed, and supported. I have not seen discrimination first hand on any of my tams, but we need to start asking questions on where people are, and how to get more involved with other demographics. Sports are notoriously hard to get involved in without direct connections, especially women’s sports. They have a greater barrier to entry. I think it would be nice to explore how we can open more doors within these organizations I am involved with. At work, though I am quite new, I would love to check out who we are selling to, and where we are buying from, in more detail. Maybe I can work my way up/into the connections where these things are discussed.
3. The Trump administration recently removed references to Jackie Robinson’s military service and DEI content from official sites. How can we ensure that important civil rights histories like Robinson’s are preserved?
Bruh, this administration really pmo. I think what I am doing here, is part of that. Sharing what I am learning with my online community. Also preserving it in text, at least while the internet is still free, is a way to keep the legacy and history alive. Sharing it with people you know, when Jackie himself, baseball, BHM, military, or anything related comes up in conversation, it’s a great way to casually bring it up. You can always check out libraries, wikipedia pages, etc., to be sure the truth is still preserved there as well.
February 4th 2026: Fred Hampton Aquatic Center
– Before becoming the revolutionary leader of the Black Panther Party, Fred Hampton was a youth organizer who spent his summers organizing trips for neighborhood kids to pools where they were allowed to swim.
– Born on August 30, 1948, Fred Hampton grew up in Maywood, Illinois. As a teenager working with the NAACP youth chapter, he showed a talent for organizing that extended beyond his years.
– After joining the Illinois Black Panther Party in 1968, Hampton quickly rose to become its chairman.
– Hampton was particularly passionate about equitable access to public spaces, including the public pool. The pool in Maywood was technically for all people, but Black residents described it as still being whites-only. So, each summer, Hampton planned daily field trips for Black kids to travel to other pools where they’d be allowed to swim.
– By the 1960s, access to basic summer recreation depended entirely on race.
– Hampton rallied for a desegregated pool to be built in Maywood. He organized protests and demonstrations to raise awareness that public spaces were being denied to the city’s Black community.
– But Hampton wouldn’t live long enough to see his dream realized. Hampton was shot and killed while asleep when Chicago police raided his apartment on December 4, 1969. Police claimed the confrontation was a shootout, but evidence showed they fired ninety-nine shots while only one came from inside the apartment. Witnesses said Hampton was executed with a point-blank shot to the head. Later, the assassination was revealed to be a conspiracy between local police and the FBI—a state-sanctioned murder as part of the FBI’s secret and illegal counterintelligence program, COINTELPRO.
– The Fred Hampton Aquatic Center was established in 1970 in Maywood, Illinois, just seven months after his death.
– The Maywood Board of Trustees held a vote to determine whether or not the pool should be named in his honor. The three Black trustees voted in favor of the commemoration. The three white trustees voted against it, and Mayor Leonard Chabala, who was white, cast the tie-breaking vote in favor.
Reflection Questions
1. Hampton spent his summers organizing bus trips for children to swim at a pool five miles away, even though he couldn’t swim himself. What does this tell us about effective community organizing?
Your community is much larger than you think. Your community may be people themselves, and not those closest to you. A place where you feel welcome and seen might be a place you have yet to see. Your community may also be nearby but you don’t know it yet. It takes someone willing and able to make a move, find a space, organize, etc., for some people to get involved. There are leaders and there are followers, but both are necessary. It also means that some people may have ideas without access, and some people have access without ideas. We have to work together both within and potentially outside our community to get things done.
2. Mayor Chabala faced significant opposition when he cast the deciding vote to name the pool after Hampton. How do you feel about opposition? To which extent does the fear of being disliked affect how you rally for change?
I feel like opposition is tricky as of late because the things people are opposing feel as significant if not more significant than the naming of the community pool. Not to say that that is insignificant, but people today think it’s okay to agree with what ICE is doing. It’s dangerous to say things like this and couple it with freedom of speech and thought and blah blah blah as being a scapegoat for being a nasty and selfish human. I left the fear of being disliked in the dust ages ago. I still try to be liked, but I have no qualms with being disliked for what I believe in.
February 5th 2026: Haiti Independence Day
– The colony of Saint-Domingue had been one of France’s most important possessions—built on the forced labor of enslaved Africans.
– During its century-long occupation, the French had transported nearly a million enslaved African people to the island, more than any other part of the French Caribbean.
– Leaders like Toussaint L’Ouverture, an enslaved African man, organized an effective resistance, uniting the community around shared ideals and creating an army that could swiftly coordinate and attack French troops.
– Spain, eager to fuel unrest in the region, chose to support their move for freedom, and Britain invaded the island to claim it as their own, only further muddying the situation. France, clear they couldn’t stave off the revolt and fight Spain and Britain on the island, acquiesced, and abolished slavery in the region in 1793.
– Or at least until 1799, when Napoleon seized power in France. He was intent on reclaiming the empire France once had in the Western Hemisphere. He sent troops to the colony to capture L’Ouverture, its de-facto leader, and reinstate slavery, which was met with immediate opposition.
– A guerrilla war broke out, and on November 18, 1803, Dessalines, who adopted L’Ouverture’s role after his imprisonment, led forces to victory at the Battle of Vertières, defeating the remaining French troops.
– The nation had lost nearly 200,000 people during its fight for freedom. Its economy was now in ruins. Plus, in 1825, the French demanded that Haiti pay 150 million gold francs as reparations to France’s former slaveholders for the “property” they lost through the revolt. It took Haiti over 100 years to pay this back, further bankrupting the country.
– The revolution challenged the institution of slavery throughout the Americas and inspired liberation movements worldwide.
– Discouraged by the threat of revolt, Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States in 1803.
– On January 1, 1804, in the port city of Gonaïves, Jean-Jacques Dessalines stood before a crowd and declared that they were free. Once a French colony named Saint-Domingue, they were now an independent nation, the second in the Western Hemisphere and the only Black republic in the world. He returned its name, Haiti, meaning “land of high mountains” in the native people’s language. This moment marked the end of thirteen years of revolt against French colonial rule.
– Haiti Independence day celebrations can be found in cities around the world. November 18th, the date of the final battle, is commemorated as Armed Forces Day, honoring all those who fought for their country and the liberation of Black people worldwide. And January 2nd is known as Ancestors’ Day, a day of remembrance of those that lost their lives during the Revolution.
– The central tradition of the day is eating and preparing soup joumou, a hearty pumpkin soup, to symbolize freedom and dignity.
Reflections
1. What other revolutions throughout history have you learned about? How have they influenced your understanding of protest and dissent?
A lot of revolutions we learned about in school were white-on-white revolutions. American revolution, french revolution, etc. I know a lot of Latin American Countries revolted against their European colonial rulers. Meredith and I learned a lot about them on our trip. I think we are witnessing a lot of revolutions in the last few decades, but enough time has not passed for us to consider them “historical revolutions” just yet. I think based on what we learned about them going against the people in charge, standing up for rights and freedoms not granted to all, and that you have to get dirty to get things done, show what a revolution can mean. Gil Scott-Heron‘s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” has persisted in music for fifty years. Dissent and Protests are not isolated. Once you see someone chanting the things you believe in, or attend a protest, it sets of a spark that can ignite an entire nation. We saw it with BLM, Palestine, and Anti-ICE movements. There are more people thinking and living like you, than there are in power. Once you remember that, it opens your eyes to the reality of where the power stands. Unfortunately, dissent is still viewed as violent and peace is always deemed the better option. But peace does not bring forth freedom. The way someone presents a “revolution” to you is always from their own lens of morality, right and wrong, and justice.
2. Soup joumou went from a forbidden food under slavery to a powerful symbol of freedom and dignity. What other foods or dishes do you know of that communities have reclaimed?
I don’t know if I know any specifically that fit this category. I would say that soul food is something people have reclaimed as it came from a people enslaved in the US. I’m sure the food one ate while enslaved was not the same as that of their enslavers, but now soul food/southern food/african diaspora food is likely just that. Reclaimed food to symbolize the flavor of their ancestors. I eat black-eyed peas every new year and I know that comes from African American/African roots.
February 6th 2026: Loving Day
*[Nicole] almost didn’t include this commemoration in this year’s series. Much of it has to do with whiteness, and the ways white supremacy are wielded to further exclude and marginalize others. But this story was a cornerstone to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and paved the way for people of all racial backgrounds to celebrate love in its fullest form*
– On a summer night in 1958, police unlawfully entered the home of Mildred and Richard Loving. They stormed in at 2am intentionally so they could catch the couple in bed together. Their crime: the interracial couple had married five weeks prior, which was illegal in the state.
– Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving married on June 2, 1958, in Washington, D.C., where interracial marriage was legal, and then returned home to Virginia, where it was illegal.
– Just five weeks after their wedding, Richard and Mildred were indicted on charges of violating Virginia’s Racial Integrity Act of 1924, which deemed interracial marriages a felony punishable by imprisonment.
– On January 6, 1959, they pleaded guilty and were sentenced to one year in prison. However, the trial judge suspended the sentence on the condition that the Lovings leave Virginia and not return together for 25 years.
– The couple relocated to Washington, D.C., but struggled with the separation from their families and home. In 1963, after years of exile, Mildred Loving wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy asking for help. Kennedy referred the Lovings to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which agreed to take their case.
– ACLU lawyers filed a motion in state court to vacate the judgment and set aside the sentence on the grounds that the anti-miscegenation statutes violated the Fourteenth Amendment.
– The state created a defense that compared anti-miscegenation statutes to the right to prohibit incest, polygamy, and underage marriage, using language that was explicitly an endorsement of white supremacy doctrine.
– The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the Lovings on June 12, 1967. Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote the opinion, declaring: “Marriage is one of the ‘basic civil rights of man,’ fundamental to our very existence and survival… Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State.” As a result, sixteen states were forced to overturn their anti-miscegenation laws. Alabama was the last state to remove the language from its state constitution in 2000.
– The idea for Loving Day as a commemoration came from Ken Tanabe, a student at Parsons the New School for Design. In 2004, Tanabe created Loving Day as part of his senior thesis project. Growing up as a person of mixed-race heritage, he had never heard of the Lovings or their Supreme Court case. He created a website to educate people about the history and encouraged people to host their own Loving Day gatherings on June 12 each year, hoping to create an annual tradition.
– The day has not been formally recognized as a state or federal holiday, but some cities and states have issued proclamations acknowledging it.
Reflections
1. Why do you think it took until 2000 for Alabama to remove anti-miscegenation language from its state constitution, more than 30 years after the Supreme Court ruling?
Because Alabama is still being led and inhabited by many a racist man. Court cases can take a long time to get moving, especially if people are opposed to the outcome and want to delay things when they can.
2. Ken Tanabe created Loving Day because he had never learned about the Lovings in school. What important histories in your own community or heritage have been overlooked, and how can you help share them?
I know growing up everyone was always racist about the “East Side” of town. Apparently this is the part of town that Black residents were told to live in due to a racist city ordinance. In addition, zoning laws furthers this divide between the East and the West sides of town. Additionally, this area of the country was surely inhabited by Spanish and Native Americans before it became the southwestern white-washed land that it is today. We can help by exploring those neighborhoods more, investing in the community by consuming and learning about their art, music, food, culture and history, etc. Dispelling racist language when we can.
February 7th 2026: Crispus Attucks Day
– Crispus Attucks was born around 1723 in Framingham, Massachusetts to parents of Wampanoag and African descent.
– In 1750, William Brown of Framingham had placed an advertisement in the Boston Gazette seeking the return of a 27-year-old enslaved man named “Crispas,” described as six feet two inches tall.
– That man was almost certainly Attucks, who escaped and spent the next two decades working on whaling vessels and trading ships, sometimes using the alias Michael Johnson to avoid recapture.
– On March 5, 1770, tensions between the British soldiers and the local residents of Boston exploded.
– The source of the conflict differs in the archives. Some believe it was started by a soldier trying to get a part-time job at a pub, which angered locals who were already struggling to stay employed. Another story states the conflict started after a colonist accused a soldier of not paying their bill. Whatever happened, it placed the colonists and soldiers in opposition, and Attucks, who had just returned from a voyage to the Bahamas and was preparing to leave for North Carolina, was in the midst.
– Two musket balls struck Attucks in the chest, and he died that evening from his injuries. Four other colonists–Samuel Gray, James Caldwell, Samuel Maverick, and Patrick Carr–also died that night in what became known as the Boston Massacre. This confrontation is considered to be the spark of the Revolutionary War, and Attucks was its first casualty.
– The soldiers were put on trial for murder. Future president John Adams was their defense lawyer, and aimed to discredit the uprising by calling those who rebelled “a motley rabble of saucy boys, Negroes, and mulattos, Irish teagues and outlandish jack tars.” He stated that Attucks had “undertaken to be the hero of the night” and precipitated the conflict with his “mad behavior.” The soldiers were acquitted.
– His words only further enthused colonists, who were starting to see themselves–regardless of race or ethnicity–as a united people against British rule.
– In 1857, the Supreme Court delivered its Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, which declared that Black people were not citizens and “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect.” William Cooper Nell, a Boston-based Black abolitionist and historian, realized the decision was delivered just one day after the anniversary of Attucks’ death.
– After Dred Scott, Nell revived “Crispus Attucks Day”, organizing annual March 5 celebrations to prove that Black Americans had fought and died for the nation from its beginning. He figured that, if a Black man’s blood was the first shed for American independence, the nation couldn’t deny citizenship to his descendants.
– The campaign continued for decades, and, in 1888, the Boston Massacre monument was finally dedicated on Boston Common. The 25-foot granite column features a bronze figure representing the Spirit of the Revolution breaking chains and crushing the British crown. A bas-relief shows the five victims, with Attucks lying in the foreground.
– In his 1964 book “Why We Can’t Wait,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote that Attucks is, “a reminder that the African-American heritage is not only African but American and it is a heritage that begins with the beginning of America.”
Reflections
1. Attucks’ resistance was initially dismissed as troublemaking but later celebrated as patriotic. How do we see similar patterns today in how acts of resistance are characterized depending on who’s doing the resisting?
Resistance by black and brown people is always seen as violent and barbaric but resistance by white people are viewed as courageous and empowering. Palestinians are seen as terrorists while IOF soldiers are seen as, “the good guys,” well I think that’s how it used to be framed in the media. However now, this narrative is shifting thankfully…and yet the oppression is not so it’s hard to tell if that’s really changed anything. .
2. William Cooper Nell used Attucks’ story to argue for Black citizenship rights. How can historical examples of Black Americans’ contributions continue to inform current struggles for equality?
Historical examples can continue to show that Black history is American history (US American). And while it may seem trivial, introducing people to figures such as the ones we are reading about daily, it proves that Black people not only have been here, they are many and they are unique and courageous and intelligent and funny and kind. They are not inferior by any means, but the system is setting them up to be. Getting rid of DEI is only going to prove a point that you are afraid because you know they are no different from you, and yet they are outdoing you because you lack initiative and poise. The stories and struggles from this country’s history are reflected back at us daily, and we have both anger and hope that we can overcome them today.
** I am realizing these never posted. I messed up the automatic posting. Sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoy catching up on both week 1 and 2 while I am going through week 3. **
Madeline Daily 