Today is the First Day. You’re Invited.

Today is the first day of Black History Month. I’m devoting this space today to boosting the signal of Howard County’s Anti-Racist Education Alliance.

Follow them on Facebook to learn more and to stay up to date on their local initiatives.

Update: I just learned that the Monday event has been canceled. Will make a better correction once I know more.

This year’s Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action begins tomorrow, February 2nd.

The Black Lives Matter At School Week of Action sponsored by the Anti-Racist Education Alliance, Inc. kicks off Monday, 2/2, with our Restorative Justice event. Link to register:

Restorative Justice event

Oratory contest: 1st place entry 6th through 8th grade and 1st place entry 9th through 12th grade will win $300. Speeches due 2/1 by 11:59 pm. Request a packet by emailing: antiracisteducationalliance@gmail.com .

Tuesday, February 3: Fundraiser at Main Event. 6:30 pm - close.

Wednesday, February 4th: patronize local Black-owned businesses

Thursday, February 5: Black Educators and Caregivers Meetup, 6:30 pm

Friday, February 6: Youth Activist Expo

Do your students/ children have an idea for a more racially and socially just world? Sign up to present your idea on Friday, 2/6 at the Youth Activist Expo and the Anti-Racist Education Alliance Inc may help finance your dream.

Youth Activist Expo

Saturday, February 7: Village Voices

We want to hear your story! On Saturday, 2/7 people will be sharing through Spoken word, Ted Talk oratory style, dance, song. Please volunteer to perform by signing up at this link:

Tell your story event

If you are new to the term Anti-racist, here’s a start:

If asked, most people would probably say they are not racist. And they’re especially likely to say it after they’ve already done something racist. As Ibram X. Kendi, director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, notes in his book How to Be an Antiracist, “When racist ideas resound, denials that those ideas are racist typically follow.”

But as Kendi also notes, it’s not enough to simply be “not racist.” “The opposite of ‘racist’ isn’t ‘not racist,’” he writes. “It is ‘antiracist.’” What it means to be anti-racist, Anna North, Vox

As we watch American Black history being denigrated, dismantled, and distorted, it feels like every day is a struggle to push back against erasure. We are fortunate to have a local organization so deeply committed to community-building and positive action.

A shoutout to President Matthew Vaughn-Smith and the board of AREA for their work on this year’s events and to Erika Strauss Chavarria and the good folks at Columbia Community Care who are partnering with them to bring this week of education and celebration to the public.

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