#291 My Black History Month Journey

Welcome to the 291st episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast. In this episode, I reflect on why Black History Month holds such deep significance for me as a South Asian person. I explore the historical context of the term "Black" with a capital B, share my personal journey of organising Black History Month events, and much more.In today’s show on My Black History Month JourneyUnderstanding the historical significance of the term "Black" with a capital B. [01:43]My personal journey organising Black History Month events and learning from Black community leaders [03:13]Practical strategies for organisations to engage meaningfully when Black employees aren't available to lead [04:40]Confronting anti-Blackness within South Asian communities and the importance of coalition over allyship [07:18]Emma Dabiri's concept of coalition building and why it's more powerful than traditional allyship [11:17]Quotes on My Black History Month JourneyCapitalising the B signifies that black is more than a colour. It is an identifier of specific cultural and historical identity shaped by shared experiences of oppression and racism.There are still things that can always be done. It could be watching a recorded talk, sponsoring events, or providing space—these things are actually very simple but quite powerful.Coalition building is about identifying common ground that benefits all, rather than perpetuating power imbalances.Allyship appeals to your desire to help a victim and can perpetuate power imbalances.Anyone has the potential to organise Black History Month events alongside key partners from Black communities by giving space, money, time, and starting small. .stk-ba39a0c {height:30px !important;}Resources for My Black History Month JourneyEpisode #110: Tackling Anti-Blackness in South Asian CommunitiesEpisode #113: Ensuring a Black History Month 365 ApproachEmma Dabiri's book: What White People Can Do Next: From Allyship to Coalition (2021)Unison's article: Defining BlackDownload the free 200-episode guide with clickable links HERE.Join my Mailing List and receive a white paper on mental health and inclusion hereCheck out my TEDx talk: The Connection between Culture, Race and Mental HealthLeave me a message on my SpeakPipe .stk-0a30c05 {height:30px !important;}Work with me Have a look at my online work-life balance course on Thinkific. You can access it here: http://bit.ly/DMMHPONC .stk-d762e95 {height:30px !important;}One-hour focused Sessions £250 1-2-1Power Hour Sessions for Organisations Complete the form to discuss your training needs: https://forms.gle/hgnYtmTu33Zeem489 Check out my FAQs here: http://diverseminds.co.uk/solutions/coaching/ You can learn more about the coaching I do to support your wellbeing here.  .stk-1ca2f54 {height:30px !important;}Subscribe to the podcast  If you enjoyed this episode, then consider subscribing on Apple podcast, Spotify or wherever you access your podcasts from. If you enjoyed it, why not leave a review?  You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   Remember to tune in next week, where I’ll bring you more insights on mental health and inclusion.