Looking forward to Black History Month

History is important and it can't be confined to a day or a month. As I look forward to #BlackHistoryMonth, I'm thinking about the six talks I have scheduled, including an event for the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada , discussing Anti-Black Racism in Canada and Beyond. As a regular speaker on #RadicalEmpathy and #Antiracism, I expect to be called on to do many talks during the month of February, and also around the time of #MLKDay, but this isn't the only time of the year that speakers on these topics should be busy. This work is a year-round effort and I hope that we can have thoughtful conversations throughout the year - but most of all, I hope that we can create change.

I'm currently working on my next book, which will examine what change has happened since the summer of 2020. How have people gone about creating change in an environment which can only be described as fraught? We are seeing a backlash against learning our real history on the one hand, but we're also seeing a renewed focus on reparations on the other. The 1619 Project is being broadcast as a docuseries while various books that examine a variety of topics are being banned across the country - PEN America is doing the work to fight this trend. As noted in their recent report:

The vast majority of the books targeted by these groups for removal feature LGBTQ+ characters or characters of color, and/or cover race and racism in American history, LGBTQ+ identities, or sex education.

The work is ongoing and it needs our attention every month of the year. That's what Radical Empathy is all about. As we look forward to a month of events and discussions around #BlackHistory I hope we can all find new ways to create a better world for all. I leave you with a shout out to some of my colleagues at 加拿大麦吉尔大学 who are working with me to address anti-Black racism - they do the work every day.

Kudos to Sarah Louise Wilson MFA who created the video above. Also, reach out if you have a story you would like to share about folks who are creating change!