Dear College of Education Community,
February is Black History Month, a time to renew our commitment to antiracist work as an act of self-care for ourselves and our Black community. A great way to celebrate Black History Month is to engage in various activities that celebrate African American history and culture. CSUN will be offering numerous events with the theme "African Americans in the Arts" celebrating Black excellence and the arts. Please watch for emails with more information from Ryan Mason Ed.D., Senior Coordinator of the CSUN Black House and Student Support Services. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) also will feature the arts in their website by highlighting the "art of resistance" and the artists who used their crafts to uplift the race, speak truth to power and inspire a nation. https://nmaahc.si.edu/events/series/black-history-month-2024.The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture website also reminds us, “Our ongoing commitment to actively think about and take action against racism, combined with a sense of urgency and deep caring, adds pressure and stress to our daily lives. The emotional impact of this work is real therefore it is vital that we all practice ‘self-care’ to benefit our overall health and quality of life….Self-care, at its most basic, refers to a person’s effort to maintain their wellness and health. Initiated and maintained by each individual based on their own needs, self-care requires active engagement and conscious effort to form new, beneficial habits. Caring for ourselves helps to bring balance, focus, and mindfulness to our lives. In turn, this helps us to better navigate the challenging social and political issues related to our anti-racist work.“
To view suggestions for self-care offered by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture website, go to https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race/topics/self-care
For a list of other self-care options, please go to our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care/articles-information-self-care
May we both celebrate and contemplate the importance of Black History month!
Warmly,
Shari