ActionDignity and Black History Month
History is generally understood as the record of events and stories which may not represent the whole truth or maybe a complete distortion of the truth. In celebrating Black History, we are reminded of the need to understand specific modes of oppression that have resulted in difficult social and economic conditions of People of African descent. And to understand these issues is to consider the history of People of African descent as a reflection of culture as well as the social and political processes that have shaped and continue to shape the world’s understanding of People of African descent.
The Celebration of Black History offers us an opportunity to appreciate the dynamic interplay of social, political, and economic structures and human agency. As we celebrate Black History, we are provided with the communicative space to subject these structures, practices, and assumptions that have shaped prevailing and distorted understanding of People of African descent to rigorous scrutiny and critical public examination. This means that we must examine institutionalized forms of inequities and inequalities; work to rectify negative stereotypes that contribute to public safety concerns among People of African descent. It also means that we work to address systemic barriers by addressing inequitable access to educational opportunities by young people; inequitable and unfair access to the justice system; overrepresentation of Black youth in both the prison and child welfare systems among others. We understand that racial inequality results in the devaluation and dehumanization of African descent that severely impact their human dignity.
As we celebrate Black History, ActionDignity will continue to play its role in working towards a just and equitable society where every Person of African Descent can fully express themselves and can fully contribute to the well-being of the city, the province, and the country they are part of. History never happens in a month, and to critically recover history, we must continue to ensure that the stories we tell are a representation of the whole truth and that our actions and practices are informed by this truth.
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