After School Matters’ Post

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Did you know February is #BlackHistoryMonth? Take a moment to consider how you can support black-owned businesses and foster more diversity with strategic suppliers through your procurement practices! Check out some of the resources outlined in the below post to learn more about #BHM2024

February is Black History Month, and to celebrate this year’s theme of “African Americans and the Arts” the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), is hosting its annual month-long festival. #blackhistorymonth2024 African American art is infused with African, Caribbean, and the Black American lived experiences. In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression the African American influence has been paramount. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment. Artistic and cultural movements such as the New Negro, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, have been led by people of African descent and set the standard for popular trends around the world. In 2024, we examine the varied history and life of African American arts and artisans. Learn more about ASALH and African Americans and the Arts https://nuvi.me/uh0asd

🎉 Next month marks the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, a pivotal moment in the fight for civil rights and equality in education. While this decision aimed to dismantle the "separate but equal" doctrine, its legacy is complex and far-reaching. I recently had the pleasure of teaching my students about this intricate legacy during our February Black History Month culture and diversity lessons. The immediate backlash following the decision led to the unjust removal of educators of color from the education industry for decades, perpetuating systemic racism and inequality. This is most evident in the persistent lack of diversity within the education sector. Before Brown v Board of Education, there were thousands of highly qualified Black and Brown teachers in segregated schools across the nation. However, following the decision, many of these schools were shut down, and there was a nationwide mass firing of Black and Brown educators. Despite their equal or even superior qualifications, they were often not hired in the newly integrated schools. Some districts even refused to integrate and instead closed all their schools for a few years. As with many aspects of society, representation matters. The absence of educators of color likely discouraged students of color from pursuing education degrees, further exacerbating the lack of diversity in the profession. This vicious cycle has been perpetuated for 70 years. As we celebrate progress, it's crucial to acknowledge and confront the ongoing echoes of this racist backlash that still reverberate today. Let's honor this anniversary by learning and sharing the accurate history, while also reaffirming our commitment to creating inclusive and equitable educational environments for all. #BrownvBoard #CivilRights #InclusiveEducation #EducationForAll 📚✊🏾

February is Black History Month, and to celebrate this year’s theme of “African Americans and the Arts” the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), is hosting its annual month-long festival. #blackhistorymonth2024 African American art is infused with African, Caribbean, and the Black American lived experiences. In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression the African American influence has been paramount. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment. Artistic and cultural movements such as the New Negro, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, have been led by people of African descent and set the standard for popular trends around the world. In 2024, we examine the varied history and life of African American arts and artisans. Learn more about ASALH and African Americans and the Arts https://nuvi.me/6iihdb

Keep thinking about this. If as we know from endless reports, that the cultural, creative and museums sectors are woefully unrepresentative as regards the spectrum of diversity, then how can these “leaders” reflect this country in all its glorious diversity.

This Black History Month we highlight the vast resources and learning made possible by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. The "Learn" section of the Museum's website contains a wide array of valuable and practical resources that are applicable to community settings, with education modules addressing topics ranging from Talking about Race, Understanding Bias, Community Building in Equity, and the Historical Foundations of Race. Our attorneys and clients have found these materials tremendously helpful in their journeys of learning. The National Museum of African American History and Culture "helps all Americans see how their stories, their histories, and their cultures are shaped and informed by global influences. It explores what it means to be an American and shares how American values like resiliency, optimism, and spirituality are reflected in African American history and culture." Haven't visited the museum? More information is available here: https://s.si.edu/42gV0vI. #knowbetterdobetter #continuouslearning #blackhistorymonth2023 #growthmindset

The Black History Festival is a unique initiative dedicated to commemorating the enduring relationship between the governments, the private sector, industries, civil society, and the people of Africa, the Americas and the African Diaspora. The Black History Festival aims at celebrating strong ties between Governments, the Private Sector and the Peoples of Africa and the Americas, through their profound influence of exchange programs between these bilateral partners and honoring their contributions. The mission of the Festivals is to serve as a platform for honoring the rich history of the people of Africans, Americans and people of African Descent, their achievements, impact and contribution to global development while promoting indigenous brands, and innovations as a means to inspire culture, leadership, business, and knowledge exchange between Africa and its Diaspora. The primary objective is to reinforce and rediscover the long-standing connections, fostering collaboration and alignment of shared interests between Africa, the Americas and other bilateral partners with an emphasis on developing and promoting trade, development, cultural values and history. #blackhistoryfestival #bhf2024 #DiasporaAfricaine

Happy Friday everyone! The weekend has arrived 💃 Yesterday I had the pleasure of volunteering at Anti Racist Cumbria's 2023 summit. I was delighted to hear and Arc's short animation 'The Fell we climb' has been nominated for an award at the Manchester animation Festival! Congratulations Anti Racist Cumbria, fingers crossed for the Oscars next 🤞 The Keynote speaker, David Olusogua, offered amazing insights into Black British heritage. He made an incredible synopsis of how institutionalised racism became ingrained in our society. As soon as the recording becomes available I will share the link with you all. The thing that got me thinking the most was how he felt black history should be explored and shared. During the Q&A one of the audience members was asking about how we should be teaching black history in an educational setting. She explained that she uses historical figures as a way to empower histories of the African diaspora as a way to not traumatise her students with what has happened to Black people and she was curious as to what David thought of this. Olusogua went on to say he is worried about the negative consequences that can come from teaching history in a biographical way, especially when it comes to topics that don't conform to the mainstream historical narrative. He believes that teaching too much about individuals, especially those who have been involved in controversial activities, can be harmful because it can lead to the demonization of certain groups. He advocates for a more holistic approach to teaching history, one that focuses on the experiences of all people, regardless of their race, gender, or social class. He also mentioned that it is important to be aware of the political climate when teaching history, as there are those who will try to delegitimize any attempt to teach a more inclusive and accurate history. This gave me some real food for thought because being in the museum sector, we use biographical storytelling a lot. We use objects to help tell intangibles stories and often through the collector's lense. Often, objects are collected to tell the stories of key historical figures. It made me think about our professional practices, and I am curious as to how museums could facilitate the kind of learning David described; what can museums do to help dismantle institutionalised racism in UK society? #animation #antiracist #cumbria #ARCSummit23 #Museums #decolonisation #AntiRacism

In honor of #Juneteenth, I wrote about how visitors to Oakley Cabin African American Museum and Park in Olney, Maryland, can get a better understanding of Black American life after emancipation through a new augmented reality experience. Check out the article below! 😊  https://lnkd.in/etdxj7au