Black History Month Reflection

Black History Month Reflection

Black History Month is a time to honor the unyielding spirit, resilience, and contributions of Black people throughout history, but it is also a time to reflect on the weight of what it means to live in this skin every single day. Being Black is not a choice; it is a birthright, a heritage that comes with triumphs and trials unlike any other.

To be Black in America is to navigate a world where systematic aggression looms over our existence, where the echoes of white power continue to shape the systems we are forced to endure. It is to face a history stripped of clarity, where many of us cannot trace our roots beyond the shores of this nation—a heart-wrenching reality that denies us the full story of who we are.

Everywhere we look, our culture is copied but uncredited, celebrated in silence but shunned in public. To wear our hair, our pride, and our Blackness boldly is to be met with hate or ridicule, as if the world resents what it cannot truly erase. We are told to forget our ancestors and the struggles they survived, as if their sacrifices can ever be erased from our DNA.

But let it be known: to be Black is an honor. It is a badge of survival, creativity, and unshakable pride. We are a testament to strength, innovation, and the refusal to bow under the weight of the world's injustices. Yet, it is important to acknowledge that no one outside of our community would willingly take on this burden. They could never carry the heavy truths of how the world treats us.

Let me also be clear: it is not our responsibility to teach you about our history. Black History is readily available for those who are truly interested in learning. Do your own work. Don’t look to us as your tokens or allies to absolve guilt or validate your understanding. We owe you nothing.

Black History Month is not confined to February—it is every day, in every corner of our lives. To celebrate it is to recognize the beauty and brilliance of Blackness in a world that has often tried to diminish it. Let this month, and every moment beyond it, be a call to action for all of us to honor the past and build a better future.

Happy Black History y’all - may you continue to grow, educate, and blissfully elevate.

I Love You.

-Tish