Started by Carter G. Woodson (as Negro History Week) in 1926 to highlight the accomplishments of African Americans absent from textbooks and mainstream celebrations, Black Achievement Month and other cultural celebration months, weeks and days are incredibly important because they provide an opportunity for us to learn about ourselves and others.
For those being spotlighted, cultural celebration months provide an opportunity for a group of people, often not adequately or accurately represented in mainstream media and stories, to discover and rediscover who they have been, who they are and who they can be. I believe most of us know that a key piece of our identity is our sense of who ‘our people’ are and were (however we define our people).
For example, without diminishing the power and importance of personal effort, perseverance and responsibility, the research tells us that as a 2nd generation college student, I had an easier time of things because my people, in this case my parents, are college graduates. Indeed, many of us spend our lives trying to live up to, or escape the legacy left by our forebears. Research also shows that a positive cultural identity and self-efficacy are positively correlated.
Our people matter.
Ok, we get that. But what about those of us who are not being spotlighted in any particular month? What about the argument that sometimes arises about things being skewed because there is no European American history month or Male history month?
In 2010, I challenge us to take a different approach. The recent death of Miep Gies (who helped hide Anne Frank and her family) reminds us that the story of the Holocaust is about the incredible atrocities committed against the Jewish people and about the bravery and courage of Jews and non-Jews alike (some, about 11000 like Miep, who are known as righteous gentiles, i.e. non Jews who risked their lives to help Jews during the Holocaust).
I believe the lack of awareness of the role of dominant group members in various non-dominant group struggles for equity creates an imbalanced and awkward dynamic when we come together to discuss societal issues and often-difficult histories. Too often, dominant group members do not come to the table at all. When they do, it is often fearfully or defensively. Non-dominant groups often come to speak; and rightly so because their voices too often go unheard and unappreciated. But we (as in non-dominant group members) can also often fall into the trap of forgetting to listen.
There is no getting around the fact societal discussions are difficult conversations to have. I often say we have to be shocked into seeing our privilege because we walk around totally oblivious to the very different realities and experiences of other people. I know this to be true because I had to be shocked into recognizing that, while most of my central identities (race, ethnicity/national origin and gender) put me in non-dominant groups, I had privilege and/or was seen as normal or right in several areas of my life such as socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation and ability).
This realization totally altered my view of success, merit and responsibility and changed the way I approach my work. I became more self aware and self-reflective. I also believe or at least hope I developed a little more humility.
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