“History Emerging in the Present”
By Dr. Ronya Foy Connor
It is the end of February and Black History Month is coming to a close. I read a comment on Facebook recently stating that Black History Month 2016 feels like the “Blackest, proudest, loudest, most visibly unapologetic celebration of Black History Month ever.” The commentator referenced the last year of United States President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in the White House, the controversy that ensued after no Black actors were nominated for the prestigious Academy Awards for the art of motion pictures, the activism of the “Black Lives Matter” movement to end police brutality, the “voiceless” speaking out against toxic drinking water in Flint, Michigan and of course, seeing international music star Beyoncé perform at the Super Bowl with a routine alluding to a Black Panther Party rally. What a month and what a concept: The “Blackest” Black History Month ever.
In the midst of media hype, can we dig through the clutter and remember the reason that we celebrate Black History Month? For me, as an African American woman who grew up in the United States, has lived in Africa and now calls Anguilla my home, I understand Black History in the context of the diverse struggles and triumphs of people throughout the African Diaspora. The cultural heritage of Black contributions in North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Southern United States, Europe, and the various regions of Africa lives in us whether we are aware of it or not. It is in our unexplainable style, our fine-tuning of language, our home-cooked foods, our soul-stirring music and our unique creative arts and regal expressions. It is in our generational spirit of fighting against what is wrong and embracing the urge to do what is right. We are one people.
In recognition of Black History Month and specifically, highlighting the women political leaders throughout the diaspora who have shaped and are shaping systems of the world, on 25 February from 7 – 9pm at the Teachers Resource Centre, the Gender Affairs Unit, Anguilla Community College, and the ALHCS “Girl Talk” Club will highlight just a few “Emerging Women Leaders in the African Diaspora.” You are urged to be encouraged as you learn about their trials, successes and journeys in leadership and activism. The accomplishments of the featured women political leaders in the UK, US, the Caribbean and in Africa highlight perseverance, vision, and the importance of succession planning in building a sustainable nation.
Hopefully with a seamless transition, the recognition of women and wisdom shifts from highlighting women’s political influence during Black History Month to emphasizing the importance of artistic creative expression during Anguilla’s Women’s Week from 6 – 13 March 2016 under the theme “Women in the Arts: Healing through Creative Expression.” As people of the diaspora, our plight includes facing atrocious humiliations and being denied political, social and economic advancement opportunities. As history emerges in the present, unfortunately some still carry the sting of low self-esteem and the memory of abuse in multiple forms. This Women’s Week, there is a focus on women who have found strength, courage and a voice through painting, dancing, singing, hair and nail design, traditional crafts and other means of creative expression that have fostered the deliverance from pain to power.
This power that exists in each of us is what allowed countless ancestors to overcome their struggles and it is why we remember them not just in February, but in our daily walk. The West African Adinkra symbol of Sankofa (pictured here) literally means “go back and get it.” It sagely implies that we cannot move forward without learning from and remembering our past. Let us all get in formation in order to ensure that our strong history provides our motivation for present greatness.
If you’d like to contribute to The Gender Corner, feel free to email Dr. Ronya Foy Connor, Gender Development Coordinator, Ministry of Home Affairs at Ronya.Foy-Connor@gov.ai or call at 497-2518.
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(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
