What does Black History Month mean to you personally?
I believe in holding two truths at the same time. And I think that Black History Month is a time for both somber remembrance and joyous celebration. This country was built on the backs and with the souls of black people. We’ve suffered immeasurable pain and trauma. We’ve made incredible achievements that have changed the course of history. We are a people with an indomitable spirit, and Black History Month is a time to honour the legacy of our ancestors.
Tell us about a moment in Black History that influenced or shaped your career/life?
My moment is a space where history meets the present. A few years ago, I learned that the sign commemorating the murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till at the location where his body was dumped into the river is regularly vandalized. Almost 70 years later, this small memorial is routinely shot and full of bullet holes. I wasn’t shocked that people are still committing acts of senseless racist violence. But it deeply hurt to think that this little boy who suffered unimaginable torture and pain is still viewed as less than human, even after his accusers admitted they lied about his supposed crimes. Some people might just see a sign full of bullet holes. But I see Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, and Mike Brown. I see every other unarmed black person that has been murdered because of racism. I see every black mother who has lost her child. And I mourn. The sign isn’t such a sign. It’s a symbol of where we’ve been and where we still are today.
What career advice would you give to young, black professionals?
You are worthy of joy. You are worthy of growth. You are worthy of comfort. You are worthy of validation. You are worthy of safety. You deserve every one of these things in your professional life. You might work at a place or in an environment that forces you to sacrifice some of these things. That does not make you weak or unintelligent or a failure. It is hard to be black in the working world. Full stop. If there are elements of fulfillment that you are missing in your professional life, make sure that you find them in your personal life. Find fulfillment, in the people you surround yourself with, in the hobbies you do, and in the media you absorb. You are a whole, incredible, unique human. And you are more than just your work.
Black joy and black financial stability are radical acts of revolution.
The Massachusetts Promise Fellowship 