February 1st marks the start of Black History Month. During this time, we have a chance to focus on the significant role Black populations have played in shaping the world and to celebrate their contributions to society that have often gone overlooked.
By highlighting the accomplishments, rich cultural heritage, and enduring legacy of the African diaspora, we can promote greater understanding and appreciation for the diversity of Black experiences and perspectives. Explore a few ways you can commemorate Black History Month in 2023 below:
CommuniTea Conversation: A Discussion on Food and Tradition
Join us on Feburary 23rd at 1 p.m to drink your favorite tea and reflect on a few short videos related to food, culture, and community for Black History Month. RSVP with Talent Program Manager Janel Taylor.
Missed our CommuniTea Conversation? You can still watch and reflect with your teams or on your own.
This Black History Month, as we celebrate the resilience, strength and enduring spirit of our Black communities, let's also celebrate and support their health, joy and peace. Peruse five themes of rest, restoration, replenishment, reconnection, and reinvigoration for ideas on how to prioritize your wellbeing!
Plus, three chances to enter a raffle for gift cards to local Black-owned establishments
Share a photo of yourself depicting Black joy! Email REI Health Specialist Arie Hayre-Somuah with a photo – from hanging with the family, to dancing or creating. We’ll create a collage to share back with staff at the end of the month.
Submit a recipe from the Black diaspora by 2/24. Have a favorite meal or food-related memory from growing up? Share the recipe here to be included in a digital staff cookbook. Photos welcomed!
Attend CommuniTea Conversation: A Discussion on Food and Tradition on 2/23 at 1 p.m. Ready your favorite tea and reflect on a few short videos related to food, culture and community. Talent Program Manager Janel Taylor is hosting, and all staff are encouraged to join in on Teams.
Resilience, Creativity, and Joy in Afrofuturism
Black History Month is a time to recognize the realities, contributions, and achievements of Black populations with an eye toward the future. The past, present, and future come together in the concept of Afrofuturism.
Afrofuturism is a philosophical movement and cultural aesthetic that blends science fiction, technology, and culture from the African Diaspora. This movement uses an Afrocentric lens to create narratives that reclaim Black histories, challenge stereotypes, shift power dynamics, and embrace individuality and cultural heritage. Afrofuturism offers a unique vision of the future that celebrates blackness and allows black people to imagine a world free from the limitations imposed by historical and contemporary racism, oppression, and discrimination. It is a tool for resistance, hope, joy, empowerment, and liberation for Black people to reclaim Black narratives and promote cultural pride, empowerment, and healing. Check out these resources below to explore how the movement has evolved and ways to support Afrofuturist art and culture:
Last week our Quality Department hosted another successful Patient Safety Week, full of games, on-site "escape rooms," and important discussions about our commitment to safety at Health Care for the Homeless. You can check out photos from the fun below.
Join us 3/13-17 for the second annual Patient Safety Week at Health Care for the Homeless! Work with a team to solve an "escape room," investigate hazards at live scenes around the clinic, and nominate Safety Superstars who promote safety at the agency.
“Pass the Mic” is a storytelling space featuring the voices and stories of people with a lived experience of homelessness. Read this story from family man Oscar Riaz, translated from the original Spanish.