To Celebrate Black History Month this February, Belmont Against Racism is hosting a series of free events focusing on the history, culture, and contributions of communities of color.
According to BAR President Didier Moise, the events are designed to bring the entire Belmont community together to celebrate the spirit of inclusivity.
“It’s called Black History Month, but it is also celebrating an important part of American history in general,” Moise said. “Here in Belmont, there are people from diverse backgrounds, and they may not be in great numbers, but there is an increase of people from minority backgrounds. All of this is geared to bring the community together and celebrate in our own way.”
The Belmont celebration will go on despite national uncertainty about cultural awareness events. On Jan. 31, the Defense Intelligence Agency paused all such events in response to an executive order from President Donald Trump. According to the Associated Press, on Saturday, Trump issued a proclamation naming February Black History Month, contradicting a memo sent by the Defense Department Friday, declaring identity months “dead.”
Theme
The theme is African Americans and Labor, focusing on the contributions of Blacks in all sectors of American life. Among the free events are movie screenings on Feb. 5 of “Hidden Figures,” relating the story of the significant contributions three Black women made to the space race and the Civil Rights movement, and on Feb. 12, at the Beech Street Center, “American Fiction,” a satire that unpacks attitudes toward Black authors and storytelling.
“Even people who have seen the films can come together as a community to enjoy them again. And for folks who haven’t seen them, they can get the history and become acquainted with it,” Moise said. “It’s a great way to show the rest of society that Black life, the uniqueness of that experience, is important. Having the community come together and experience it is something we wanted to focus on.”
There will also be a T-shirt design competition for middle and high school students and group book clubs for all ages, an effort to involve more young people in celebrating Black history.
“Oftentimes, when you hear about Black History Month celebrations, it’s mostly geared to older people. We don’t think that is a sustainable way to go; the new generation has to step up and step in. We want to meet them where they are,” Moise said.
The events will culminate with a community potluck dinner on Feb. 28 at the Beech Street Center.
“This is our biggest event on the last day of Black History Month. We’re hoping to get a lot of people involved in it,” Moise said.
BAR, a volunteer-run nonprofit organization, was created in 1992 in response to the riots that occurred after the arrest and beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers. In 2001, BAR broadened its mission to include wider responses to social injustice. The organization supports local schools through fundraising for METCO afterschool programs and contributes funding for teacher and staff professional development and holds speaker programs.
For Black History Month, they are collaborating with the Belmont Public Library, the Beech Street Center, the Belmont Human Rights Commission and Belmont Public Schools.
The overriding goal is to create a community where everyone feels respected, Moise said.
“I think, coming out of the pandemic, it took us a long time to come out of the shelters, out of non-in-person virtual events. At some point you need to come be with other people and get the fullness of human connection. Community building is part of the important work we do at BAR,” Moise said.
For more information, visit the BAR website: belmontagainstracism.org.
