Black Excellence Isn’t Over
Jacobi Reddix
As February comes to an end, we start to see the end of this “trend” of celebrating Black History Month with some institutions, businesses, and corporations. Target’s ‘Celebrate Black History Month’ section will disappear (and probably go on sale), Bath and Body Works kente cloth candles will disappear (and probably go on sale as well), and the month will disappear. Another February in the books for us to chalk up, another month out the way, and another obstacle gone. We’re one month closer to spring break, and most importantly, summer vacation.
But while I can take the time to daydream about being on the beach, longer days, and the call of cicadas, I want to remind you that Black excellence is infinite. Black excellence isn’t and shouldn’t be measured, but instead just consists of you being excellent. Learning a new recipe is being excellent. Getting a good grade on a quiz or a test is being excellent. Even something as simple as getting out of bed and getting dressed is excellent because that is something you accomplished.
While I recognize that Black History Month is a time to recognize the Black trauma that we have faced over the years, we must also use this month to recognize that there is more than just trauma. There is resilience. Every step of the way we have had to fight, and every breath we take is another form of resistance to the systems and society that try to hold us back.
And here we go with the elephant in the room; It’s been two years since COVID changed our lives. Two years that have felt like forever, and just don’t seem to be getting better. Those two years have tested our resilience, our patience, and even our mental/physical strength. Some of us have used this time to better ourselves, learn new hobbies, learn life skills, take different pathways, the whole nine yards. Some of us have fallen off a little bit, and that’s ok as well. Take this time to rebuild yourself from the ground up.
And forgive me, because at the time of writing this I don’t have anything profound to say about COVID. I don’t think I can have anything to say for something that has caused so much pain for so many people. And sometimes though, I feel like not saying anything is good as well. Sometimes, all that we need to do is listen to ourselves and to each other. Yes, I know the future is uncertain for a lot of us, but we will be ok.
So still walk with your head held high dear Black individual, because while the month may be over, that doesn’t mean our time to shine is. There are 12 months/365 days/525600 minutes/31,536,000 seconds for you to be excellent. Not every achievement has to be grandiose for it to matter. If it matters to you, then it 100% matters. Be excited for what you achieve and what you get done, even if it's classified as mundane to others. Nobody else is walking in your shoes, but we are navigating this pandemic together.
So, as the weather (hopefully) gets hotter and the daylight get longer, I want to tell you to rock your melanin in the sunlight. No one will and can shine like you can, because nobody will be you.
Nobody can rock Black Excellence quite like you can.
Side note: Yes, the Bath and Body Works kente cloth candles exist.
Jacobi Reddix
Editorial Staff, The Blue Record Blog
