By Janaé Wonsley, Assistant for the Office of Student Affairs
Because Brooklyn Urban Garden Charter School (BUGS) is an inclusive community, it is imperative to celebrate all identities, all races, and all cultures. Black History Month is a time to pay homage to the richness of African culture, as well as honor the efforts and achievements of Africans and African Americans around the globe. Beyond our celebration in February, I want what we learn and experience during Black History Month to impact the ongoing and evolving conversation at BUGS about what it means to be truthfully diverse and inclusive -- not only within our school community but in our curriculum and through sincere alliance and activism as well.
As the person leading *virtual* Black History Month here at BUGS, my hope is to provide our students and community with a better understanding not only of what Black history is to America but also how Black history was made by our ancestors in Africa. I want this to be an insightful, impactful and JOYFUL celebration!
This year for Black History Month, we are centering our celebration around the Yoruba tribal term, Irin Ajo, which simply means journey. My parents were very in tune with their African history and ancestry and they were both able to trace their ancestry back to the Yoruba people of Ghana and southwest Nigeria. In both of these places, Yoruba is the language of choice. Our Irin Ajo Black History Month celebration will allow our school community to see Black History evolve before our eyes.
Each week of the celebration will encompass a different theme. The first week's theme was "Honoring the Past of the African People" and we learned about ancient African civilizations, the rich legacies of African kings and queens, and the impact each kingdom made on modern-day arts, sciences, mathematics, and culture. Activities included: Fun Facts about Mansa Musa; Video/Short Answer Submission “What Does Black History Mean to You?”; Fun Facts about Queen Amanirenas and the Kingdom of Kush; Fun Facts about King Sundiata Keita; Black History Month Q&A - Virtual Lunch Table Discussion with me; Fun Facts about Makeda, Queen of Sheba; and Virtual Lunch Table - the History of African Dance and its influences on Modern Dance with Mr. Kid our Student Success Coach (OSA), 8th grade PE teacher, and 8th-grade Enrichment (Dance Teacher).
This week’s theme is “From Slavery to Black Wall Street,” followed by “What About Our Rights?” and “Where To Next? A Look at Where Black History Stands Today.”
What’s also really exciting is how our teachers are incorporating Black History Month into their curriculum too. Here are just a few examples. During advisory, students will watch an interview of Harvard professor and filmmaker Henry Louis Gates Jr. with Audie Cornish about his series Africa’s Great Civilizations, read about Nobel recipient Kenyan biologist and activist Wangari Maathai, and discuss how can victims of African diaspora reconnect to the many nations of the continent and what can our nation learn from innovators like Maathai. Students will also learn about Black sustainability changemakers who are doing amazing work on environmental issues – from urban and rural agriculturists to environmental justice advocates to naturalists and scientists. In 8th grade math, students are looking at systems that create wealth inequality in terms of household incomes and job opportunities and will create an action plan about how to remove those systems for their neighborhood.
My hope is that by the end of Black History Month, our students are reflective and empowered to be agents of change. I want us to be educated about every aspect possible of Black history, so we can continue the conversation and be on our own journey as a school community to dismantle racism and lift up true inclusion and equality. The focus right now is on Black History Month, but this work continues all the time at BUGS. We as a school can make Black History.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person on the Black History Committee for lending their voices and their time to what the school community will experience this month and beyond.
Let us know how you are celebrating Black History Month at your school.