Every February, black people in North America join together in commemorating Black History Month; looking to a better future, while celebrating the achievements of the past.
I was born and raised in the East African country of Tanzania, I first learned about Black History Month when I moved to Canada in 2002, as a Carleton University student. It came as a surprise to me that one month of a year was dedicated entirely to celebrating Black History. We don't have such celebrations back home in Africa, so I had always believed that Black History Month was dedicated purely to the black people living in the Diaspora; excluding Africans, like myself. That notion was corrected soon after as I realized that Black History Month is for all of us who share one thing in common; being black. The month of February symbolizes unity amongst us, allowing us to reflect on our history and be proud of what we are and just how far we've come as black people. This time is important for all blacks in the world, especially those living away from home, those of us who comprise minorities in our respective host societies. It is a period for all of us to enhance our confidence and awareness of fellow black people and their struggles; to take pride in our cultural heritage, whether as an African-American, African-Canadian or African. This month is set aside that we celebrate our many achievements and the contributions we have made and continue to make to mankind. This month affords us the opportunity to stand proud as we contemplate our position in the world and recognise that black people have played extremely vital roles in history. While many of us breathe our pride in being black and African, we live in challenging times . Our countries are faced with numerous hardships, hunger and disease, civil wars and poverty. As we take pride in the past,we can no longer run away from the problems facing black people and Africa in the present. Instead, we need to think about the future we are shaping for ourselves. What better time than Black History Month when our collective spirit is imbued with this hope and unity? When I think about the potential for change black people have for their societies, I smile with hope, realizing that indeed, the sky is the limit for us. As an African writer and journalist, I am dedicated to writing about Africa and African people because I want people to know the truth about my continent. The portrayals of the developing world, many of which are African countries and Caribbean countries, in the media are not what these countries are all about. Western society can only learn the balanced and true stories of our home countries through people who are from there, through you and me. By making it our mission to educate the world about our histories and our countries, both good and bad; we promote an understanding of the need for change and progress without setting aside our dignity or insulting our heritage. For those of us living in the Diaspora, Black History Month provides us the platform to do exactly that. Too often, the world looks at Africa with sympathy, seeing only our problems while giving scant consideration to our strength or successes. It is upon us to make sure that this changes. There is so much we deserve to hold our heads up about, as black people and as Africans. Alone none of us can rid Africa of all its problems; I cannot unchain Africa from its political, economical and social quagmire. But one thing I can do for sure: I can spread optimism about Africa wherever I go. Let Black History Month be your chance to preach courage about black heritage. Let yourself be the change you want to see in your world; whether that world is Canada, the Caribbean or Africa. Allow yourself to stand tall and share with heart just how strong your people are....how strong we are!
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form