I love Black History Month, but the truth is, it can cause anxiety for many Black kids
Black History Month warms my soul to the core. It’s a dedicated month to stand tall and, as James Brown demanded of us, ?Say it loud, I?m Black and I?m proud.? The intentional celebration of Black excellence and Black success stories?including Black educators, artists, scientists, inventors, and social change makers?is invigorating and inspiring. I?m proud to be able to share these accomplishments with my kids.
I love that I can take them to activities that will teach them the storytelling traditions of their African ancestors. I love that they can learn about kente cloth (brightly coloured, woven traditional West African fabric), and Elijah McCoy (a Canadian-born Black inventor) at the local libraries and community centres who care enough to offer Black History Month programming. And right now, at ages five and eight, my kids seem to love it, too. But I also know that as they get older, more self-aware, and more self-conscious, there may come a day when the month of February causes anxiety and tension for them. Josie Rose, a mom of one in Markham, Ont., has experienced this first-hand.
Every Black History Month, Rose has learned to expect a call of apology from her son?s school principal. Like clockwork, the phone rings with an explanation: someone has called her son the N-word, or someone has made fun of his skin colour. This is what Black History Month has looked like for her and her now 16-year-old son for over seven years.
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