Why February Needs a Roadmap, Not Just a Poster

One thing that keeps me grounded these days is noticing the ways people continue to show up for freedom, justice, and equity. I am deeply grateful for the leaders and peers who continue to "fight the good fight" despite the noise and pushback around us.

As we enter Black History Month (30th year anniversary), I am inviting you to use this time as a strategic opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to anti-racism. This is a moment to listen, learn, and most importantly contribute to change within your own spheres of influence.

As I’ve shared before when (Rethinking Commemorative Days and Observances), if we treat these observances as one time events, we miss the opportunity for real behaviour change and capacity building. Given the current global climate, Black History Month isn’t just a time for reflection, it is a vital catalyst for fulfilling commitments, moving into

action, and building equity practices.

Moving Toward Practice

Black History Month offers a dedicated window to strengthen our "Good Culture" muscles. But for that to happen, we must move beyond awareness and into practice.

In my work, I often hear that the fear of "getting it wrong" is a barrier to action. This fear often leads to silence or a retreat into status quo behaviours. However, the greater risk lies in hesitation. As bell hooks in her book All About Love states, "Fear is the primary force upholding structures of domination. It promotes the desire for separation, the desire not to be known." Your role as a leader is not to have all the answers. Your role is to signal and demonstrate that dismantling racism is core to your workplace values and culture.

Building a Learning Agenda

A learning agenda is an intentional roadmap that can help to turn a month of observances into a month of growth. It moves the conversation from “What should we say?” to “What do we need to understand better so we can show up differently?”

Here is what a learning agenda might look like for your board or management team:

• Contextualize the History: Don’t look at history only in the abstract. Explore how Black history has shaped your specific sector, whether that’s healthcare, finance, or the non-profit world. What systemic barriers were historically baked into our industry’s standards or regulations? How do those 'old' rules still influence who gets access to resources, opportunities and services today?

• Audit the Internal Culture: Look inward and ask: Where does anti-Black racism show up in our hiring, our promotion tracks, or our daily meeting dynamics?

• Connect to Future Action: Every learning session this month should end with a "So What?" Identify one specific policy, behaviour, or decision-making process that will change as a result of what was learned

Black History Month can be an anchor point, a kickstart, or a time to renew your commitment to equity. Let’s use this February not just to look back, but to build the skills required to move forward. If you are ready to design a learning agenda that sticks and a culture that sustains it, let’s connect.