Black Future Month

I’m putting my heart and my soul in this [here] and some more.

Future

We are a little over halfway through Black History Month here in Cali. Even though they celebrate Afro-Colombian Heritage in May, I have very much gotten into my “I’m rooting for everybody Black” bag. This week I’ve felt incredible pride for my heritage. It felt like everything I did, from listening to the While Black podcasts with my morning showers, to wearing a dashiki to class was done with the Diaspora in mind. One of the most important things I’ve learned at Howard is the vastness of the Diaspora, and being here has not only put it into perspective, but also allowed me to think of my place in it. This is a result of the incredible critical thinking I have been exposed to, and the constant dialogues I’m having on what Blackness looks like here. As I reflect on the month I have been here, I find it difficult to quantify how much I have already learned, but what I can try to express is how incredible the growth feels.

While it is no secret that Black History, nor its celebration, are not limited to February, the While Black podcast introduced a new concept to me. February is a time where we not only reflect on Black History, but also pour into the things that will secure a greater future for the Black Diaspora. It is a time for thinking about how you can contribute to the fight our ancestors began, and how you can use your gifts to ensure their dream comes to pass. February evolves from Black History month to Black Future Month.

This idea came to me at seemingly perfect timing, for last week, starting February 10, my CET classes began. Each of these courses has a focus on Afro-Colombian experiences, histories, contributions, or culture. I was incredibly excited to start learning about Crime and Justice in Colombia from a brilliant Afro-Colombian attorney, and delve into environmental conflicts with a well published expert. Each class has something incredible to offer, and each will teach me so much more about the Diaspora from the Colombian context. There have been few times where I have been so excited for classes to START rather than end, and this week’s CET classes take the cake. I am incredibly excited to equip myself with knowledge and thinking that will make an impact.

Black Future Month was fully realized for me after my classes ended. On Saturday, February 15 I was inspired to pour into others. CADHUBEV, which stands for Colombianos Afrodecendientes por Derechos Humanos Benkos Vive, is a very active group on campus. They’re responsible for representing the Black population on Univalle’s campus, hosting discussions and events, and even painting dope murals like this one.

CADHUBEV’s first reunión, or meeting, of the year took place in an small lecture hall with a little over 100 young Black students. What made this meeting so incredible was the fact that nearly all of them were local high school students and graduates, and that one of CADHUBEV’s founders Marcos Salazar, was able to talk to them about what Univalle has to offer. Salazar began his speech by encouraging not only the youth in attendance, but the older, Univalle students as well. He gave us all a charge to challenge what others think of Black students, and even what we may think about ourselves. As he told the youth to read more, to push beyond their perceived limits and to remember the fight our ancestors started, I felt renewed. As the meeting ended, I started chatting with the high school kids, many of which had never thought seriously about college. One student asked if college was hard, while another asked if I ever missed home. Both of these, I told them, are true, yet the college experienced provides more than you could ever imagine. This was an incredible wrap-up for this week because despite my different experiences, my different background, and even a language barrier, we shared a dialogue of encouragement, of perspective, and of the future. We talked about what we liked to learn, and how great it feels to be successful academically. I pored into the next generation of leaders. I directly contributed to Black Future Month, and I challenge you all to do the same.