Year after year in this country we take the month of February to celebrate Black History. We reflect on many of those who have come before us and paved the way to give us the opportunities that our predecessors never had. While this is a worthwhile time of reflection, I challenge each of us to recognize the direct impact their sacrifices and triumphs mean to each of us today.
For those us lucky enough to have access to the Internet and even many others with constant connection through our mobile devices, we are in a very unique situation to not only learn about our past, but also contribute to our future in ways never before imagined.
In short, we all have the ability to make history ourselves.
We have the tools and the knowledge available to us to have an impact more far reaching than any time in the past. Social media connects us virtually. Our ideas connect us on a level which reaches far beyond geographic and political borders. We all have a voice if we’re bold enough to speak up and speak out.
History can still be made today. Just look at some of our modern trailblazers from Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Ursalu Burns, and of course Barack Obama. And as time relentlessly marches forward, we will continue to break down barriers in fields not historically associated with large amounts of black contributors.
We all have a voice if we’re bold enough to speak up and speak out.
The black community is not a monolith. We have wide ranging interests, capabilities, and contributions waiting to be tapped into on a much larger scale than we’re represented with today. The Internet and social media will be the tool to amplify the possibilities of what an individual voice can accomplish in the world of tomorrow.
As we recognize the significance of the past, I challenge each of us to acknowledge the potential power past contributors have given each of us today and to continue to make history every single day. Our opinions and voices, which are no longer punishable by death, have the power to change the course of the future. It’s up to each of us to mark our place in history.