This Black History Month, support Black communities
Black History Month has begun. Now queue the out-of-context Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quotes from complacent corporations and products rebranded with Kente. Congrats! You’ve posted your commemorative Black History Month post. Now what?
The origin of Black History Month stems from the Association for the Study of Negro Life and Culture and its founder historian Carter G. Woodson’s creation of Negro History Week in Washington, D.C., in February 1926. This week sought to preserve, record and enlighten schoolchildren of Black history missing from American history and textbooks, especially during the Harlem Renaissance period.
By documenting and disseminating Black history, not solely through a negative lens, Woodson sought to show the important roles Black people played in creating “America” and therefore prove they deserved to be treated equally as citizens. In 1976, Black United students and Black educators at Kent State University expanded on this idea to create what we recognize today as Black History Month.
To me, Black History Month is a time to celebrate the triumphs Black Americans have achieved throughout history and draw attention to the tribulations they have suffered to create reformative change. I see this designated period as a time to focus our efforts on creating an equitable society, much as Woodson had envisioned.
However, instead of seeing these messages reflected and initiatives sprouting, I find social media posts dedicated to Black History Month promoting products branded via cultural appropriation. So often it feels like companies feel obligated to meet some diversity quota for optics. The intentions of these organizations are questionable at best, insidious at worst.
I’d like to clarify the difference between organizations directly pledging funds to Black communities or uplifting Black creatives and leaders to spearhead campaigns and organizations generating revenue from products marketed to profit off Black culture. Any organization making money while visibly participating in Black History Month needs to reinvest those funds. To truly celebrate Black History month, efforts need to support Black communities.
The concept of reinvesting and reallocating money does not just apply to businesses; it also applies to us. What are we doing to support our local Black communities during this month other than posting a photo of Rep. John Lewis? May he rest in peace. Are we actively spending our dollars at Black-owned businesses? Do our charities of choice provide mutual aid funds, build capacity to uplift Black leaders, or create transformative programming? There are already organizations doing the work that can benefit directly from our contributions, whether time or money. I’m not asking us to reinvent the wheel but to grease the gears that are already turning.
In Orlando, the Contigo Fund has worked alongside local Black LGBTQ+ leaders to launch the All Black Lives Fund, which was created in response to the alarming number of murders of Black transgender individuals and the recent racial injustice uprisings. This fund supports Black LGBTQ+ led efforts to build visibility and power, promote safety, and amplify the demands of the communities significantly impacted by anti-Black racism and gender discrimination.
This year I was granted the opportunity to sit on the All Black Lives Fund steering committee to ensure funds went to grassroots organizations committed to creating change. I was concerned to learn about the disparities in funding sources.
The overall lack of funding provided to Black communities and LGBTQ+ communities of color is detrimental to the reformative change we desperately need. In 2018, foundations awarded $120 billion to grantees; however, based on data from Candid and Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity, only 6% of all foundation funds in the year 2018 was towards racial equity funding, 0.7% to racial justice funding, and a measly 0.28% goes to LGBTQ+ communities. This shows that those at the intersection of LGBTQ+ and Black are often underfunded and left behind by philanthropy.
Local organizers however are committed to not making the same mistakes as traditional philanthropy. Feb. 17 was designated as All Black Lives Day in the City of Orlando, meant to celebrate those of us at the intersection of LGBTQ+ and Black.
This day was fought and paid for by the sacrifice of Black trans women and queer Black leaders who gave their lives for our movement and community. I ask that today, before we reach for our phone to make that last Black History Month post, we be intentional and reach for our wallet to redistribute that wealth instead.