An author reflects on a poorly executed Black History Month event that exemplifies the common issue of organizations using superficial gestures instead of genuinely acknowledging and celebrating the unique experiences and contributions of Black people.
Staring at the spread of dishes on the table, I inwardly cringed. There were pizzas, sandwiches and a sea of Indian plates on offer but nothing appealed, though not for the reason you may assume. For a buffet that was supposed to be celebrating the cultural heritage of Black people, it seemed (to me, at least) to have woefully missed the mark.
It was some years ago and the only other person of colour, a British-Indian woman more senior than myself, was tasked with leading on Black History Month (BHM). She had planned a staff event around food, encouraging everyone to bring in dishes from their cultural backgrounds. The only vaguely ‘Black’ plate was a Nigerian dish one white woman had made using an online recipe. They both clearly had good intentions but I failed to see what any of it had to do with celebrating my cultural heritage. In fact, it was highly problematic for various reasons. While Black History Month is specifically meant to celebrate the contributions of Black communities, organisations often fall short in recognising the unique experiences and contributions of Black people. This extends beyond October (when BHM is held) of course, with organisations often missing out on opportunities to authentically celebrate and integrate diverse perspectives into their everyday practices and projects. Black communities in the UK have very different experiences and socio-economic outcomes to other races. We face higher levels of unemployment, are more likely to have lower paid jobs, are less likely to be in managerial positions, more likely to be excluded from school and the list goes on. Many organisations are more concerned with presenting themselves externally as anti-racist, says Susan So for once, it’s not about being inclusiv
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