“Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Christopher House is committed to creating opportunity, ensuring accessibility, and advancing equity for every child and family we serve. This past Black History Month, our community united to recognize the history, honor the contributions, and celebrate the beautiful diversity of our Black culture.
Across our family of schools, a variety of events took place – everything from door decorating contests meant to highlight the significance of Black History, engaging and age-appropriate reading materials that discuss the importance of identity, and a live staff-viewing of Black Boys, a documentary revealing the realities of being a young Black male in America hosted by the RIDE (Race Inclusion Diversity & Equity) Committee – our scholars and staff reflected on the histories of Black culture and explored ways in which they can join the discussion. These interactive activities were joined by a live performance from the Muntu Dance Theatre, an artistic Company, who works to educate on and preserve African culture through dance, music, and folklore.
“Dance serves not only as a physical activity but one that provides connections among children and allows them to express joy and share in each other’s culture,” Adejumoke Akinbusuyi, Site Director for Christopher House Uptown, says. “Dance allows children to learn about traditions, values and experience diversity of the families in their classroom community. Celebrating culture through dance brings our children together and provides exposure to history and a bridge of cultures.”
Our After School scholars held a Black History Museum for their classmates and parents, in preparation for which they had the opportunity to delve deeper into Black histories from around the world. While our younger learners crafted traditional artwork and decorated handprints, our Youth Leadership scholars researched and presented on African countries, with many sharing their own families’ cultures and traditions.
“I feel like this event was important in helping our scholars learn about and celebrate Black heritage, culture, and history because it allowed them to display their knowledge of Black history in more ways than just writing a report or essay for school,” Brandon Adjei-Boateng, After School – School Age Worker, says. “They were allowed to showcase their knowledge in multiple creative ways.”
Throughout the month-long learning and celebrations, Christopher House organized a thought leadership speaker series that included Penny Smith, Director of Learning and Impact for the Early Childhood Policy and Leadership Academy at the Erikson Institute, Dr. Dwinita Mosby Tyler, Founder and Chief Catalyst of the Equity Project, Bryan Stokes, Education Portfolio Director for the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, and Cerathel Burgess-Burnett, Deputy Commissioner for the Children’s Services Division of the Department of Family and Support Services. Together, we reflected on the importance of education equity and the damaging impact of colonizing language, not only for academic and social-emotional development of our students, but for the overall growth of our community.
“The necessary work, the work that Christopher House Early Childhood and Youth Leadership is prioritizing, is to first acknowledge the harm and the power that these labels have, and second, to identify and decolonize the internal structures, policies, and language we use daily,” Sarah Collentine, Associate Director of Early Childhood, says. “Language matters.”
While the 2023 Black History Month may be over, the learning, remembrance, and celebration does not stop here. Christopher House continues to prioritize the identities, cultures, and stories of all children and families within our community. To learn more about the history and significance of Black History Month, see below:
- The history of Black History Month
- Theme for 2023 Black History Month
- Black Boys Documentary Trailer
- Learn more about Muntu Dance Theatre
