How Sistahs with Sense Honors Black History
In short, we do it daily. A couple of months ago I attended a virtual art event where a panel of artists spoke about their experiences as Black female artists. At one point, one of the seasoned panelists confidently stated, “don’t come looking for me in Black History month so I can be the token Black person to be a part of your Black history exhibit. Come check for me in January, April, September, any other month so that I know you are actually interested in my art, not just a Black person to check a box”. She then explained that when she is approached about showing her art in the month of February she graciously suggests another month. That stuck with me.
Don’t get us wrong; Black history month highlights how powerful our history is and how strong we are as a people. We appreciate that. But these individuals deserve to be honored and uplifted…year-round. Black people continue to make history on a daily basis and this is why we celebrate us, always.
Sistahs with Sense was founded on creating diversity in the wellness space. We want to see Black and Brown people be represented in ways that they feel acknowledged, heard, and cared for. Our company was built with the intention of allowing people of color to speak their minds, share experiences with one another, take up space, and heal. The ladies of Sistahs with Sense joined forces in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, just weeks after George Floyd’s death. We had so many emotions surrounding the current events and knew we wanted to channel them in a positive way. The community that we built has been a reflection of that.
We are especially proud of our Spotlight series. In the 6 months that we have been an organization, we have spotlighted four amazing individuals: an author, artist, civil engineer, and a healer. Each spotlight brought something unique to the Sistahs with Sense community. During our time hosting these workshops, we laughed, cried and reflected. Our spotlighted sistahs and fella are a part of Black history and we are honored to have the opportunity to lift them up using our platform. We look forward to continuing to celebrate these individuals and many others just like them.
Each workshop we host we also make a point to buy and give away products from businesses by people of color. During the holiday season, we highlighted several BIPOC owned businesses during our 25 days of small business shopping. Check out all 25 businesses highlighted here. Supporting the Black community year-round is easy. It be purchasing something from a Black owned business instead of filling up your Amazon cart or doing a Target run. It does not even have to cost a dime. You can share a Black owned business on social media or through word of mouth. Take it upon yourself to learn about Black history by reading a book, an article or seeking out the narrative from a Black person’s point of view. Perhaps you can interview an elder from the Black community to get their perspective. Is there anyone you know in the Black community that is shining? Give them their flowers now!
Please, don’t just acknowledge and respect us this month, respect us everyday!