Celebrating unsung Black heroes
Some people question the necessity of a month dedicated to celebrating Black people’s contributions to our lives. But, in a country still torn by racial trauma and social division, students of one school volunteered to inspire their community with biographies of Black figures not typically showcased during Black History Month. Among the current and historic figures researched were state Sen. Patricia “Billie” Miller and the tragically lost Rep. Quentin “Q” Williams.
Strawberry Hill, an extension of Rogers International, is an intradistrict magnet school in Stamford. With its International Baccalaureate programming, the mission of the school is to create a diverse community of lifelong learners through an engaging and challenging program that fosters a culture of caring, collaboration, action learning and responsibility for the environment. The efforts of the school for Black History Month exemplified that spirit of engagement and collaboration while celebrating how diversity has made this world better.
Spurred by the Strawberry Hill PTO Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, a smaller subcommittee dedicated time to support teachers and students during Black History Month. In the spirit of creating lifelong learners, the children researched 30 Black figures from the diaspora. Coordinated by Elyssa Walker, a sixth-grade English teacher, children submitted research they presented for an amateur film and editing crew of mothers, who transformed a classroom into a school newsroom.
Dr. Aisha Stroop-Banda created a website to showcase the final product. Each day middle school teachers highlighted new videos. Students and families had the opportunity to learn of formidable figures from the African diaspora from as far as Africa with Queen Amina to the 1980s hip-hop trailblazer DJ Kool Herc in NYC and Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first Black American female doctor, to inventor extraordinaire Elijah McCoy.
Students said it was fun to learn about Black people beyond those typically spotlighted at this time of year. They were eager to hear when their video would become available so their research could be shared with classmates and families. Students specifically spoke of the lessons of hope and possibility gleaned from researching Rosa Guy, who devoted time to writing daily despite her grueling factory work and raising a family. They also relished learning about youmg state Rep. “Q” Williams’ impact on his community and were reminded that it is never too early to be a part of the change you want to see.
I find it hard to imagine the efforts this month will not yield positive results. The students’ reports expose what has become a more isolated population bombarded with false stereotypical depictions of Black people with stories of resilience that are more authentic to the Black experience across the world. Watching the collaboration of a diverse group of parents joining forces with school teachers and administrators (supported by their Principal Frank Rodriguez) were models for students and adults practicing what they preached in the IB learner Profile.
The Strawberry Hill school community is proving unique in its celebration of culture in its community. From creating life-changing experiences such as a self-identity focused poetry slam to dance performances from around the world and showcasing student projects on Black musicians, they are planting the seeds of change we need in our fractured society.
There are those who will read this and feel special activities to highlight Black History Month or Black culture in the year 2023 is no longer necessary. They may question the significance to individual student’s lives and the broader society. The inner spark and inspiration as a child watches herself, a friend, or family member reporting on someone who looked like them and changed the course of history may go unnoticed today. However, these are seeds planted, that if nurtured, can grow the leaders we need to turn this nation around for a brighter tomorrow.