Today marks the start of Black History Month, which takes place every October and gives everyone the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of black heritage and culture.
This month is for everyone, no matter your background, to learn about and appreciate black history, helping us understand the importance of diversity, representation and inclusion in shaping a more just society.
What is this year’s theme?
The theme for Black History Month 2024 is Reclaiming Narratives and invites people to take part in shaping how stories are told and ensure that voices from the black community are heard.
This theme encourages us to shine a spotlight on the untold stories, the unsung heroes, and the everyday individuals who have made an indelible impact on our communities.
It’s about challenging narratives that have often overlooked the contributions and achievements from the black community in the UK and across the world.
Why is Black History Month important?
We spoke to Josie Parsons, Local Space’s Chief Executive, to hear what Black History Month means to her.
“Black History Month is an opportunity for me to reflect on the history of the country of my birth, both good and bad, and to recognise that I have experienced a degree of privilege in my life simply because of my birth into a white family. I will never experience racism or know how it feels to be judged negatively on the colour of my skin, the curl of my hair or the faith I hold. But I’m personally commited as a leader at Local Space, to make sure that we do not allow racial prejudice to influence the way we work or the decisions we make. I want to ensure that Local Space can welcome people into our spaces as their authentic and whole selves.”
“Local Space operates from one of most diverse parts of our capital, where our customers and workforce are similarly diverse. It’s important for us to reflect on this and make sure that black history is part of our everyday narrative. This month’s theme ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ is an opportunity for us to consider our work in the context of diversity, inclusion and equality and make sure our staff can share their stories in an open and safe space.”
“We’re looking forward to celebrating the untold stories and reclaiming the narrative through encouraging our staff to go to external events that will be reimbursed by the company, educating our staff on a weekly basis with interesting facts, and holding a lunch and learn event focusing on celebrating black culture and heritage through fabulous tasty food and hearing stories from our staff.”
How can you mark Black History Month 2024?
The Black History Month website has lots of event listings from across the UK. You can also see what’s happening in your local area: