Black History Month Community Highlights
During the month of February, organizations across the United States take steps to honor the history and accomplishments of Black Americans. As part of the Illoominus effort to celebrate Black History Month and provide educational resources for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) community, we spotlighted the achievements of our community members. As you read this article, consider how you and your organization can celebrate Black History Month and continue celebrating the achievements of Black Americans all year round.
Frazier & Deeter, Kandace Freeman, DEI Program Manager
As part of an effort to “ramp up the celebration of black and brown faces,” Kandace focused on highlighting the impacts and accomplishments of black trailblazers. Using LinkedIn, she posted weekly BHM Trivia and employee spotlights. To her, BHM is about cherishing the “sometimes hidden figures who had an impact on our daily lives even today.”
The Aaron’s Company, Kendall Jacobs, Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion
At Aaron’s EBRGs (Employee Business Resource Groups) take charge during affinity months. In conjunction with ABLE (Aaron’s Black Leadership Exchange), Kendall celebrated “all things black culture” from black social media influencers to black film and music. According to Kendall, BHM needs to be a month for celebration, in addition to understanding.
ShipBob, Kelly Darling and Deborah Carr, Merchant Success Managers and ERG leaders
This month, as part of their involvement with United, ShipBob’s ERG, Kelly and Deborah focused on giving back to the community and highlighting Black Excellence. They led weekly BHM Trivia, employee spotlights, fireside chats, and charity initiatives. They also hosted a podcast episode, which celebrated the careers and backgrounds of four United members.
Comcast NBCUniversal, Terance G. Clement, Manager, HQ Cross Channel Base Management Strategy
Terance G. Clement of Comcast has shown that #BlackHistoryMonth can be celebrated in a myriad of ways. In addition to other activities, they hosted a DEI speaker series featuring the civil rights activist Ruby Bridges, a fireside chat panel discussion on Celebrating Resistance and Resilience, and a book drive for 100 Black Men of Atlanta Inc Schools. They also spotlighted ERG members on what BHM means to them and highlighted the Black Experience on Xfinity, in part with their Black Beauty Effect docuseries.
There are an infinite number of ways to engage with Black History Month and honor the accomplishments of Black Americans, but we hope this article gives you a place to start when planning your celebrations for next February and beyond. Remember, while BHM is an opportunity to ramp up the celebration, diversity and inclusion should be prioritized all year long.