With February having a strong focus on celebrating Black History Month and celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, it’s important to keep this topic top of mind.
In the month of February, all employees can take time out of their week throughout the entire month to make themselves aware and bridge the gap of cultural differences in the workplace. No team is perfect and there is always room for improvement in making the workplace a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Now with most of us working remotely, here are some ideas that you can do from the comfort of your own home.
What is Black History Month? Learn more here!
TLDR: Black History Month is an annual observance where individuals recognize and celebrate the achievements of African Americans throughout history. There are so many key players in history that have made strides in creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive world. It’s important to recognize the impact of African American culture and heritage.
Learn the History ⏱
- The majority of people only have a surface-level understanding of African American history and their cultural experiences. In fact, much of it was left out in history class and it’s your job to continue learning and expanding your knowledge on this crucial topic.
- The #BlackLivesMatter movement started back in 2013 and has been gaining traction ever since and encouraging everyone to take action. Learn about how it all started here.
Book Recommendations 📚
- With more time being spent at home and less time on the go, now more than ever individuals can get back to the simple pleasures in life like reading a good book. For this month specifically, introduce everyone to books written by BIPOC authors and cultural figures.
These sources offer a great list of many reading options that are worth checking out:
TED Talks 🎥
- Provide TED Talk resources for your employees so they are able to educate themselves and learn new ways on improving D&I in the workplace and celebrating all cultures.
Here are a few that we recommend:
Listen to Podcasts 🎙
- There is such a large collection of podcasts that cover any topic you can think of at our fingertips. Listening to podcasts throughout one’s day has become a routine for some. To keep educating yourself and those around you, tune in to podcasts that are hosted by BIPOC to support them as creators and learn from them.
- Here is a list of 10 Podcasts Hosted by BIPOC Women to Tune Into.
Support Organizations that empower BIPOC Individuals 🌟
- To help spread awareness and encourage people to take action against discrimination, find some organizations to support. Many of them have a lot of resources and people to connect with to help empower BIPOC.
- Check out this list of organizations that empower black communities.
Virtual Volunteering 🌎
- Even though the world is still on hold and we haven’t gone back to normal yet, doesn’t mean that you can’t volunteer virtually. There are many tools and resources online that can help you find volunteering opportunities that match what is important to you.
- Getting involved and supporting your local community is a very important step in creating an inclusive community.
Support Local Black-Owned Businesses 💼
- It’s no surprise that small businesses are struggling during these challenging times and supporting your favourite small businesses is so important to keep them afloat. The positive outcome of this is many businesses created online stores so it is easy to access global businesses to support. Not just this month, but all year round think of ways you can help support black communities and stand with them.
- Here’s a list of over 150 Black-owned businesses that you and your team can help support during these challenging times to help them stay strong.
