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The City African American Network is an affinity group for Black employees who serve the City of Portland. In honor of Black History Month, we reached out to ask their thoughts about what this event means to them and their families.
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The City African American Network is an affinity group for Black employees who serve the City of Portland. In honor of Black History Month, we reached out to ask their thoughts about what this event means to them and their families. Three members shared reflections on the significance of this occasion. We also invite you to read CAAN’s message about Black History Month.
Gwen Thompson, Communications and Community Engagement Strategist
Black History Month serves as a reminder to reflect on the authentic experiences of Black folks in America, past and present. It’s a call to action – a time to foster deeper understandings of why groundless claims and a myriad of social and economic injustices impacting our communities persist. It’s a time of opportunity to engage in meaningful activities that celebrate Blackness, and a time of elevated consciousness and recognition that our choices lead to a better or worse nation for us all.
Ira Bailey, Housing Program Coordinator
Content warning: Words have power – and the City of Portland takes that seriously. In this piece, we honor our writer’s choice to use the N-word when listing terms that have been used to describe Black people throughout history. Typically, the City would not publish this word, due to its strong impact. However, in the spirit of Black History Month, we stand in solidarity with Black employees and Portlanders in telling their stories, in their words.
Black History Month is a time of intentional attention to the Black experience in the United States. We pay attention to the lessons learned about the intentional destruction of the Black family and community. We pay attention to the voices that helped remind Blacks of their value, strength, and common struggle for justice in societal systems that were built and benefited by Blacks, but not designed to be inclusive of Blacks. We contemplate on the wisdom, creativity, beauty, and genius of the Negro, when the stress is channeled into strength.
Black History Month is a time that we contemplate identity, we see how transient labels for the Black community have been. Blacks have been called Blacks, Negroes, Niggers, Niggas, African-American, Afro-American, Colored, and Person(s) of Color. Black History reminds us that it is not what a person calls you that is important, but what you allow yourself to identify with and what you call yourself that matters.
Black History Month is one where folks who identify as part of the Black community has an opportunity to pause, reflect and decide how do they want to contribute to the legacy of Black History; and folks outside of the Black community can learn about and gain a broader scope of understanding of the Black community, beyond their own current, lived experience.
Tyesha McCool Riley, Human Resources Analyst
As a Black woman, Black history is a profound and personal narrative that encompasses resilience, strength, and pride of my people. It is a time that represents a tapestry of stories, achievements and struggles that have shaped not only my identity, but also the identities of countless others directly and indirectly around the world.
Black history is a reminder of the trailblazers, our ancestors, my ancestors who paved the way for future generations such as myself. Women like Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Maya Angelou to name a few. Who truly fought and stood up against oppression and marginalization who were innovators who broke barriers and dared to have courage and resilience. Their legacies inspire me to embrace my own voice and advocate for change always seeking opportunities to champion change, challenge the status quo and to use my voice to promote change.
Let us all be reminded that American history is Black history as the foundations of this country were built upon the backs of my ancestors. Black History Month is a call to celebrate the uniqueness of my identity while acknowledging the ongoing challenges that the Black community faces. It motivates me to engage in conversations about race, equality, justice and to be active in participating and creating a more equitable and inclusive future. Remaining steadfast and unmovable in my identity as Black and proud; my BLACKNESS is excellence!