Celebrating Black History Month

Black History Month Conversations:

HOPE worldwide Volunteers

Black History Month Conversations:

HOPE worldwide Staff

OUR STAFF MEMBERS SHARE THE SIGNIFICANCE

OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH TO THEM

Q: What is the significance of Black History Month for you personally? 

A: Black History Month is a reminder to remember the significant achievements of historical black persons, many of whom were not acknowledged during my early childhood curriculum. Black History Month is also a reminder of the fact that I am a Black person making history in my own lifetime. Living out my purpose, passion, and calling is exactly what so many Black historical figures have done before me. 

Q: Has the work of any particular Black historical figure had a significant impact on you and your life? What has that impact been?

A: Jesse Uriah Barnett (1898-1987), my paternal grandfather, is a Black historical figure for me. During his lifetime, he made decisions about land ownership and stewardship that impacts my family today. Because he chose to live humbly, he was able to leave an inheritance of land that has produced some income for all his family. For example, Jesse died 11 years before my daughter was born, a great-grandchild he never met. Yet, his land produced enough income to pay her college tuition for a semester.

Q: Our Purpose at HOPE worldwide is “A world transformed through love, respect, and partnership with our neighbors in need.” As a Black individual working at HOPE worldwide, how do you carry out this purpose?

A: As a Black man serving in the role of President of HOPE worldwide, it is important to me to model the core principles we espouse. Our amazing staff, along with all of our partners and neighbors, need to witness love, respect, and partnership embodied within their leadership.

Q: What is the significance of Black History Month for you personally?
A: Black History Month has become an important time in the year for me because the often distorted and negative images of the Black population are replaced for the month with positive and outstanding images. For me, it has become a time to hear and celebrate the amazing contributions of Black men and women both currently and in the past.

Q: Has the work of any particular Black historical figure had a significant impact on you and your life? What has that impact been?

A: Nelson Mandela’s dedication and sacrifice in fighting for equality—and ultimately toppling South Africa's racist system of apartheid—inspired me with hope for equality in our world, especially as a person of color in the U.S. and the UK, and gave me the confidence to believe I could do anything I set my mind to.

Q: Our Purpose at HOPE worldwide is “A world transformed through love, respect, and partnership with our neighbors in need.” As a Black individual working at HOPE worldwide, how do you carry out this purpose?

A: As a Black individual I have past experiences of not being loved and respected at my place of work, so I am acutely aware of how my actions and words can affect my ‘world’. My personal response to our Purpose is to treat my co-workers and those I come into contact with on a daily basis with kindness, respect, and patience and put myself in that person's shoes.

Q: What is the significance of Black History Month for you personally?
A: Black History Month is significant to me because it's an intentional space created for the acknowledgment of Black achievement and the affirmation of parts of the Black experience that are often miscommunicated or omitted in the larger narrative of the United States. This month is a celebration of our collective resilience in the face of generational injustice, and proudly amplifies the central role of Black pioneers and their contributions that have impacted and shaped our world. Black History Month is so much more than a list of "First Black" people allowed in white spaces—it's a reminder that the stories of people who look like me are American history, and they deserve to be known and shared year-round.

Q: Has the work of any particular Black historical figure had a significant impact on you and your life? What has that impact been?

A: Fannie Lou Hamer is my favorite activist of the Civil and Voting Rights Movements. She was an impoverished black woman born to a family of sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta—a place once considered the world's most oppressive place to live if you were Black—and she dedicated her life to serving those who, like her, were marginalized and experiencing material poverty. Her 1964 testimony before the Democratic National Convention's Credentials Committee expressed the sad truth Black Americans faced for simply registering to vote as citizens. Fannie Lou saw her Christian faith as the source of her activism and strength—her example reminds me that I, too, am commissioned to "do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause."

Q: Our Purpose at HOPE worldwide is “A world transformed through love, respect, and partnership with our neighbors in need.” As a Black individual working at HOPE worldwide, how do you carry out this purpose?

A: As a Black woman, my social identities of race and gender have been both empowering and oppressing; my experiences have helped me to consider all the factors that can marginalize individuals and groups of people. Through my work at HOPE worldwide, I am given daily opportunities to promote and practice respectful, relational, and mutual community engagement. I'm challenged to be curious without judgment and reminded that my responsibility to those who are marginalized means going beyond being sympathetic but instead acting in pursuit of ending injustice and working to create equity and inclusion for all.

Q: What is the significance of Black History Month for you personally?
A: Black History Month gives us all an avenue for continued engagement with history, which is crucial as it helps give context for the present. Black History Month is an opportunity to understand Black histories, beyond stories of racism and slavery to spotlight Black achievement, perseverance, and contributions to the world. It gives visibility to people and organizations whose voices were silenced yet prevailed in creating change. It echoes the voices of marginalized communities and amplifies the triumph of the human spirit over challenges. It confirms the universal truths of love over hate, faith over fear, and unity over division.

Q: Has the work of any particular Black historical figure had a significant impact on you and your life? What has that impact been?

A: Growing up, this quote has had a significant impact on the way I view the world. “I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” - Malcolm X

Q: Our Purpose at HOPE worldwide is “A world transformed through love, respect, and partnership with our neighbors in need.” As a Black individual working at HOPE worldwide, how do you carry out this purpose?

A: I have been afforded the opportunity to live in an imperfect but better world because I stand on a foundation built by leaders, inspirational figures, and individuals with a passion and drive to see the empowerment of their community through education, equality, economic and social progress. This further fuels my passion to go and do the same for marginalized people in this world.

Q: What is the significance of Black History Month for you personally?
A: For me personally, I appreciate the celebratory nature of this month—a time where our culture and our accomplishments are acknowledged beyond peanut products and the underground railroad. I appreciate the intentional focus on honoring any and all of those Black individuals who endured injustices in their respective calling but still overcame.

Q: Has the work of any particular Black historical figure had a significant impact on you and your life? What has that impact been?

A: Madam C.J. Walker is for sure one of my favs. She was a fiery woman with an entrepreneurial spirit who excelled in business during a time when it was a challenge, most especially for Black women. Her impact is still felt today. And then I must pay homage to my grandmother, maiden name, Esther Richardson. A Black opera singer who in the ’30s and ‘40s mastered Italian and who taught me the importance of being well-spoken, well-mannered, and well-rounded. Her impact is still felt today.

Q: Our Purpose at HOPE worldwide is “A world transformed through love, respect, and partnership with our neighbors in need.” As a Black individual working at HOPE worldwide, how do you carry out this purpose?

A: For me previously, it was serving as a HOPEww Chapter Director and working alongside my team to implement respectful community programming for homeless youth. Present-day, I’m taking the time to become well-informed on the biblical concept of shalom and recognize my deficit so that going forward in the humblest, yet most impactful way possible, I can “go and do likewise.”

Q: What is the significance of Black History Month for you personally?
A: For me, Black History Month is special. It gives me hope as a Black man in America that I can be seen, heard, and have an impact in our world. It also inspires me to learn more about the many great accomplishments of Black people. In life, we only know what we know, but we have the opportunity to learn all we can. It brings a smile to my face when I read about the amazing work of Black people—those I'm familiar with and the MANY I'm not but look forward to discovering. 

Q: Has the work of any particular Black historical figure had a significant impact on you and your life? What has that impact been?

A: There are so many!!! Barack Obama, the first Black president in America. Regardless of your political views, to see someone who looks like you in his position is so encouraging and inspiring. Booker T. Washington was a powerful teacher and speaker. I think about Harriet Tubman, literally a Superwoman who helped so many people. Honestly, my family. I’m inspired by my grandparents and parents who are from Louisiana and growing up (and even today) they would tell me stories of hardships, triumphs, and dreams. I’ve seen them overcome so much and shine and be seen in this world. Growing up, my parents would always tell me, “You can be anything you want to be; you are smart, you are handsome, you are a leader!” These powerful words and affirmations and great examples of so many Black men and women have encouraged me to become the man, father, husband, and Christian I am today.

Q: Our Purpose at HOPE worldwide is “A world transformed through love, respect, and partnership with our neighbors in need.” As a Black individual working at HOPE worldwide, how do you carry out this purpose?

A: I love our purpose statement because in everything I do I try my best to live this out. “A world transformed through love” I love all people regardless of color, background, economic status—you name it. In my marketing role at HOPEww, my goal is for our campaigns to show this love on all of our channels (social, email, web, videos, and events). I love seeing our “diverse” audience ENGAGE with us. “...partnership with our neighbors in need.” WOW. This last part brings it home for me and is truly TRANSFORMING. We can all have some type of need, and learning to partner with our neighbors is so critical in respecting people’s humanity. This is why Black History Month is so special. It’s seeing people’s humanity—NOT the color of their skin, but a beautiful child of God. In every campaign, social post, or video we do, my goal is to make sure that we are respectfully representing people’s humanity. Man, I love my job.