February is Black History Month

We at the Employee Assistance Program are committed every year to celebrating Black History Month. After a tumultuous and difficult year full of tragedy, protest, and triumphant advocacy, it has become clearer than ever how important it is to continue to educate on and actively explore the historical struggles and successes of the Black community in America.

While unfortunately local events and celebrations are limited this year due to the ongoing pandemic, there are several virtual events, updated reading lists, and community resources we want to share with you this year. 

• The City of Boston has a central event and information page celebrating Black History Month, which offers pages of historical information and highlights, networking events, a booklist and education events through the Boston Public Library, a list of local Black Businesses to support, and more.  Their kickoff virtual celebration is tonight, February 1, from 6 – 7:15!
• The City of Boston's Department of Youth Engagement & Employment, in partnership with Black Employee Network Millennials, My Brother's Keeper Boston, Teen Empowerment, and the Mattapan Teen Center, are presenting a group youth performers from Boston neighborhoods alongside a panel of community leaders in celebration of Black History Month. This event will be hosted virtually on February 18 from 4 - 6 p.m.
• The Association for the Study of African American Life and History is hosting a 2021 virtual festival throughout February full of free talks and presentations on culture, education, and more.
• The Smithsonian offers a calendar of free performances, lectures, and family activities on Black history and Black culture.
• Beyondthebookends.com offers a list of 25 great books for kids to explore racial justice and anti-racism, as well as this list of recommended books for adults covering both essential fiction and nonfiction exploration of Black experiences.
• The famous Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has strong community support within Boston. While BLM as a whole is a decentralized protest movement, there are groups of organized activists continuing to advocate for social justice. Here is a webiste of one such activist group in Boston, as well as their affiliated Facebook page.
• GLAD offers this list of LGBT support networks and resources for gay, lesbian, transgender, and queer people of color.
• AboutBlackBoston.com has an aggregate list of professional and peer support networks for black professionals and individuals looking for online and in-person support networks.
• Black Mental Health Alliance is a mental health advocacy service for people of color. Their website includes a page to assist in reaching out for local referrals.
• Innopsych is a database for searching for therapists of color. 

Please reach out to us at the Employee Assistance Program for further support and resources, or if you wish to share a link. Have a safe and restful month!