This month, as we celebrate Black History Month, we want to continue to spotlight Black women and other people of color. It is as important now as it ever was to keep the conversation alive and to move the needle forward. World leaders come and go and can slide the scale in one direction or the other to some extent, but we still believe in our core that real change and actual equality comes from daily work done by ordinary, everyday people. It comes from knowing your neighbor, having hard conversations, and truly hearing each other’s stories, pain, and wisdom. As we work to bring our hearts closer to one another, fiction, comedy, documentaries, interviews, and observation are tools for connecting, deepening, and strengthening our humanity.
The election of one person doesn’t undo centuries of systematic, social, and economic hardship, so to lean into healing, we also have to lean into listening.
READING
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman
It only seems fitting that this month the book we celebrate is one written by the 22-year-old poet who dazzled the inauguration audience in January. The Hill We Climb has shot up the bestsellers list and there’s no wonder why. Her voice and tone are something generations are made of. She breathes hope and heat into hearts that are both desensitized and downtrodden. Let her words uplift you and guide you in the cries and victories of a new wave of adults entering the world in a moment of great chaos and concern. This book is available for pre-order right now but has already hit the bestsellers list. Keep this star rising by pre-ordering now. One of the best ways we can support one another is by supporting each other’s work!
WATCHING
This month a love story written and filmed in the heart of the pandemic will release featuring Zendaya and John David Washington. Caught in the bubble of a single event, we witness these two characters sort through the conflicts of their relationship as everything is coming to a head. In a movie that has been described as “electric”, we are isolated to looking at one couple rather than the big worldly view of what people think of them. A keen reminder that sometimes we need to zoom in.
LISTENING
The Women: The Battle for Georgia
In this podcast, Rose Reid walks us through the troubles and triumphs of Georgia. This season, the discussion drifts to the battleground political scenes that put Georgia’s Senate race on the front page. She’s interviewing and analyzing the women on the ground who were key players and the legacy they have created. With an interview featuring Stacey Abrams, the podcast discusses Black women being the backbone of democracy and talks about how to champion infrastructure and LGBTQ+ rights.
LEARNING
Whether you are a solopreneur leading a brand or a CEO in charge of a team, it’s time to level up. Last year should have been the year to kick off some personal growth in the area of anti-racism. If you haven’t done so yet, we’ve listed a ton of great educators in past posts. If you have done some of that work and are now wondering what you can do to further educate and make an impact, a coach like Nadi should be at the top of your list. Her goal is to dismantle “the negativity and split open the historical pattern of silence.”
She does this through public speaking, summits, team training, and coaching! So if you are in charge of employees or just your own brand messaging and how it connects in the world, now is the time to get your business involved in the hard work ahead.
Drop your favorite BIPOC books, TV shows, movies, documentaries, podcasts, and education programs in the comments below so we can all open our hearts, learn, and grow together.