by Ashanti Raysor

Black History Month often centers on the past, and while those stories matter, Black history is not confined to textbooks. It is happening now, in real time, through the ways Black communities continue to navigate and respond to everyday challenges with resilience and purpose.

Many of today’s struggles echo the past. The history we have read about is a guide for us to not repeat the same mistakes. The guidance that we take from these influential people, events, spaces, etc., shows us how progress has been made. In a time where it seems as though we have taken plenty of steps back, what stands out is the renewed yearning for community.

As we reflect during Black History Month, honoring the past also means recognizing the present. Black history is not only something we remember, it is something we actively build through consistency, collective action, and hope. With all these combined, courage is built to help keep us moving forward in a time of crisis.

I would like us all to remember this: Be firm. Be fair. BE HUMAN. It’s a reminder that justice can be rooted in compassion, that strength and empathy are not opposites, and that meaningful change often begins with how we treat one another.

Black history is all history. We set the precedent because we have set the stage. With that said participation in shaping what comes next includes using our voices at the ballot box during midterm elections. Be the change.

Rev. Linda J. Ivey, MSW is the founder of Your Destiny is Here, Inc. The Mission of Your Destiny is Here, Inc. is to teach, preach and reach everyone who has a desire for greater. To that end, Your Destiny Is Here, Inc. is dedicated to working with individuals within our communities to help them prioritize their goals, examine their strengths, eliminate their challenges, and link them with resources that offer new pathways to unlimited potential towards their divine purpose; their goal of “Greater”.