Celebrating Black women this Black History Month
It's Black History Month, one of our favorite months of the year! Take the time this February to appreciate the Black women around you and what they do for your communities. Appreciate them for their ingenuity, perseverance, beauty, passion and resilience. In a world where melanin and chromosomes determine privilege and very often, life paths, Black women have been dealt one of the toughest hands time and time again. Yet still, they continue to slay every day and take advantage of society's underestimation.
Here are some ways you can celebrate Black women this February, no matter your color or gender:
Support Black Lives Matter -- and not just the organization. Speak out against anti-blackness in your community and fight against the injustice and violence Black women and men face at the hands of racist institutions.
Donate to a nonprofit that works with Black women like the Trans Women of Color Collective, Black Girls Code or (ahem, shameless plug) Thinking In Full Color.
Take time to get to know the Black women in your community and take a special interest in learning about their stories, their dreams and their passions. This could mean taking your professor out to lunch, or just chatting up the postal worker dropping off your mail.
Learn more about Black women, their histories and culture. Read a book by a Black woman-identified author. Google a few Black celebrities or historical figures and learn their backstories.
Deepen your understanding and widen your definition of Black identity. Learn about African cultures and what life is really like in African countries. Chow down on some arroz con pollo with your Afro-Latina friends. Listen to your biracial friends' unique stories of living in two or three cultural worlds.
Support the Black hustle. Money talks, and is a great way to empower Black women and families. This doesn't just mean buying from Black-owned businesses or artisans. Tip your servers and bartenders. Hire Black artists and professionals. Recommend Black women for jobs. Listen to Black musical artists. Have a resource or opportunity you can share with ambitious young Black girls for free or at low cost? By all means, do it!
You can also celebrate Black women -- comedians, singers, poets, writers and performers -- by checking out Thinking In Full Color's Black History Month events!
Wed. 2/6: That One Proud Night, a comedy show featuring JJ Mattise, Nihara Nichelle, Kara Lindsay and YOU! Share your funny pride stories at our open mic. PS Wine Bar, Jersey City. Free Entry.
Sun. 2/10: Black Voices Unhinged, a cabaret paying tribute to Black musical theater canon while also breaking boundaries, giving Black singers an opportunity to perform what casting directors would likely never have them do. LITM, Jersey City. $5 suggested donation, $10 advance tickets to champagne reception
Thurs. 2/21: TIFC at Hoboken Public Library, a theatrical performance featuring Samille Ganges, Venida Cheryl Rodman Jenkins and Glennifer Braker, followed by a talkback. Free Entry.
Click on the event names or visit our Events page for more details.
