Black History Month: Our History, Woven Together

Black History, Our History

History is happening right now, as I simply type out this message to those who are willing to read and engage. Why? Because telling our story in our voice, and from our perspective, provides the opportunity for reflection, eternally. 

When we are able to momentarily experience the past standpoint of our ancestors, we are given a chance to see who we really are- forever leaving a mark. 

Transparent moment: event curators at TLI were a little taken back on how exactly we could commemorate this holiday. 

YES, we are proud, and YES, we want to share the importance of the holiday and the impact it continues to have on the confidence building of our people. That’s a given. However, what stopped us, and made us come to a HAULT- was simply realizing that HISTORY was being made in our OWN LIVES, right now. 

In our community , around us and within us, we have first time black authors, coffee company  owners, community leaders, and more. Our neighbors, our family, our tribe. 

Now, don’t get it twisted (Dre voice), we truly believe that looking back and giving flowers is vital- and we would never take that away. It would be an absolute shame to forget that moment of root exchange. 

This year, we wanted to live and breathe in the moment, with every fiber of who we were, and what we were becoming.  We can see the impact of what 98 years of celebrating us has had on one another: it’s in our reflection. 

We are vocal in the way we express ourselves, through art, music and rhyme. 

We are strong, yet become more vulnerable, not allowing the chains won  by our ancestors, to keep us in one place.

Though the fight for equality in spaces still remain, we have also learned how to leverage the “40 acres” and we breed our own “mules”.

We create and we root with dignity and pride. 

Learning to embrace our now allows us to understand why we cannot forget about the “back then”.  

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Black History Month 2024, we simply wanted to affirm ourselves , where we were, with one another. BHM may have came to an end, but there is always room in every day, to celebrate the WINS and HAPPENINGS of the NOW. 

How sweet  the fruits of this season.