Black History Month - From the Steering Committee (Continued)

Eric McGhee

In the myriad of thoughts that arise when I think about this wonderful celebration which honors the excellence of our ancestors as much as it serves as a reminder of trials we've faced over the centuries. The opposing dualities build a sense of love and hope in me, as well as feelings of grief and loss. Studying our history in reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Bessie Colman, Fredrick Douglass, Katherine Johnson, and many others... it instilled hope in a younger version of myself. And just as much as I would imagine journeying their stories as readers of history might do. I could not ignore what those very same ancestors had to endure and sacrifice to walk their own paths.

An older me has learned to appreciate walking the line of this very duality of hope and loss. Embracing all those emotional perspectives as one great journey in history,a  journey of heroes and giants. Being a spectator of their lives, lives lead with purpose, hope, and determination while continuing to remember the grief and loss they endured to overcome the darkness surrounding our history.

Our history lives on as a beautiful odyssey amidst the turbulent waters of oppression and strife.

A reminder...