Making history every day
Some Assembly Required Issue #12
It’s weird to see Black History commodified these days. The month use to feel very warm and intimate to me. Something that was kinda nice. It felt like the Black community led the way our history was celebrated. Now that Black history and culture are more openly recognized and celebrated in the US I feel a bit exposed. Dare I say overexposed? It’s become common to see companies and platforms putting Black History Month at the forefront of their February content. Something that is not always led by the Black community.
It’s weird af, but also kinda nice.
I’m not gonna lie. There is a boost in visibility that I’m happy about. All of a sudden we’re front and center. Which is exciting! It’s important for Black people’s contributions to be highlighted. It’s important for Black communities to see themselves and for others to see us. That said, I can’t help but feel a bit tokenized. February will come to an end and many of these outlets will move on to the next trend. We, and other communities of color, should be centered regularly and often. For so long we have been intentionally islated and ostracized, its time to be intentionally included. Year round, and even if it doesn’t postitively impact the bottom line.
I know I’m not saying anything new but I wanted to say these things here. BIPOC communities are centered all the time in this newsletter and that is by design. When others move on to other content and trends our goal remains the same: showcasing how gender-marginalized folks of color are living, growing, and thriving. One year down, many more to come!
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GIFspiration
