Ignorance is Not an Option
Dr. Deborah’s Thoughts
Our children had the opportunity to “dress up” and celebrate the contributions of African Americans during Black History Month. As the month ended, we were reminded that during the period of slavery, African Americans found strength and unity through communal worship. Many relied on their faith to give them the inspiration they needed to move forward and remind them of the power of kindness and forgiveness, even in the face of the greatest injustice and cruelty. Despite the ignorance and insensitivity of their oppressors, they instilled in their children the values of honesty, integrity and treating their fellow humans with compassion. Happy Home will celebrate 27 years on March 4th and I have learned in that time that we must be the kind of parents who teach our children what the world may distort.
- Black History is American History
- History is not always pretty
- Racism is a “real” thing
- Jim Crow laws and segregation were wrong
- The power of the Civil Rights movement
- The major inventions and contributions that African Americans have made in order to build this country.
You can have age-appropriate conversations now so that our children are empowered and educated. We have the ability to make a huge difference in this world. We must collectively do whatever we can so that our families stay tightly knitted together understanding that there would be no history without the contributions of black and brown people. Let us continue to become the “Beloved Community” that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., spoke about. We, the parents are the change we want to see in the world. It is our time; it is our moment to rise up. I have hope and believe that we can do our part so that our children can live in a world where everyone is treated with fairness, justice and equality.
Dr. Deborah L. Tillman
