Black History Month - my complicated friend.

I hope that this article isn't career ending but if it is, I’ve had a good run!

Here goes.... I find Black History Month frustrating.

Of course, there's so much to love. The celebration of all that we have achieved. The opportunities to highlight unsung heroes, past and present.? A dedicated space for Black people to be front and centre in a positive glow.

Yet... Black History Month reminds me that we are still seeing performative actions without the heavy lifting needed to move the dial on the everyday experiences of Black people.? School curriculums continue to reference American historical figures when there is so much Black British History to embrace. Why is it still the case that Black women are 3.7 times more likely to die during or in the first year after pregnancy than White women??

When I was Chair of Governors, I asked my Headteacher what was planned for Black History Month. He told me that he didn't want to create much noise about it as learning about and celebrating Black contributions should feed throughout the year.?

Now, I’m not advocating that we dismiss Black History Month.? I myself have participated in a panel talk, podcast and roundtable this month!? But he had a point. What's been done during the other 11 months to profile and improve the plight of Black people?? Wouldn't it be great if we used Black History Month as a platform to launch or reflect on a succession of actions that would really change the narrative over the coming year?? Here’s just a few examples:

Let the data do the talking - Within the school system, Black Caribbean children consistently underachieve.? However, there are still instances where schools are not incorporating ethnicity into their pupil progress data tracking.? Taking this simple step would give them the information to underpin a whole school strategy to tackle pockets of underachievement.

A survey by Business in the Community found that 67% of employers were monitoring data on pay and ethnicity.? Come on the other 33%! The Draft Equality (Race & Disability) Bill going through Parliament will make this a mandatory requirement for companies with over 250 employees anyway so they might as well get ahead of the curve.

Be transparent - It would be a huge step for senior leaders to openly report how they are actively engaged in moving their organisations toward racial equity.? Since the introduction of mandatory Gender Pay Gap reporting in 2017, the median pay gap has reduced from 18.4% to 14.3% overall in 2023 so we know that being accountable in the public sphere works.??

Support black self sufficiency - Black business owners are four times more likely than white owners to be denied business loans. Supporting more Black entrepreneurs to flourish could make a dent in this figure, underpinning generational change.?

I was in a small market town pub over the weekend and noticed that the children activity colouring sheet were Black History Month themed.? Shout out to Greene King for that. It was lovely to see and testament to how far reaching this act of taking up space can be.? But with 51% of black children living in poverty, we need more than baby steps. We need strides that carry on throughout the entire year.