The Best Time of the Year
The snowstorms, early evening darkness, and monotonous winter crawl toward spring exemplify February. Yet, a beacon of light shines through the dreariness. Thank you Carter G. Woodson for the foresight and care to create “Negro History Week,” which has evolved to Black History Month. The accomplishments of Black people - African American, African, Afro-Caribbean and the vast diaspora - pushes back against the dominant narrative, conscious and unconscious, that we are inferior. We are, instead, doers, makers, and healers and a variety of other identities that pronounce our humanity.
I eagerly learn about the historical heroes, whose achievements are absent from my formal education. I see my past selves and am confident that my future self can reach that goal because I’ve witnessed my ancestors do it before I even had the thought. I proudly celebrate the contemporary figures, who are our current heroes, because their efforts affect lives that matter. I patiently listen to our stories, so that I can become more comfortable with the perseverance, wit, and love that I’ll need for my journey. I routinely marvel at our ability to make cool because we constantly innovate and create, making a way on the margins. I deeply inhale the elevating joy of our jokes, dance moves, and fashion. Our culture is our air. I sincerely appreciate the fact that I am here today and honor the many ancestors who lived and loved for me, their legacy.
This month affirms me and, like Issa Rae, “I rooting for everybody Black” today, tomorrow, always in all ways.
