Hi everyone! February is Black History Month (BHM), a great time to give extra attention to Black history, learn about it, and recognize and reflect on the important roles Black people have played in history, from the enslaved people first brought over from Africa in the early 17th century to African Americans living in the United States today. Outside the U.S., BHM received official recognition from governments in Canada, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom as well (although the European countries observe during March and October).
Fandom kicked off the recognition last week by publishing their BHM planning through the theme of Creation and Cultivation: Culture Shifting Moments in Entertainment. Click here to read the blog in case you haven't already and learn more about Fandom's planned programming. Be sure to listen to the awesome Spotify playlist of Black artists from all sorts of genres ( click here ), and remain on the lookout for the timeline highlighting pivotal moments in entertainment history and how these IPs have shaped Black culture and continue to serve as pillars for Black representation in media!
I wanted to follow up now with you all because recognizing and celebrating a culture and history often starts with raising awareness. So how can each wiki community help? Here are a few quick ideas:
Wiki design - changing (parts of) your wiki's theming to reflect the Pan-African flag colors (Black, Red, Green, and Yellow), which are the signature colors of BHM. This can help to show visitors that you are celebrating and pique interest. Don't know how to? Let me know, I'd be happy to lend a hand!
Article improvements and features - while you all work hard all year round to present quality pages, February may be the perfect time to come together as a community and give pages of Black creators and characters some extra love and care to elevate them even more! Feature them on the mainpage or in posts.
Communicate - Post a blog or Discussions post to get conversations about Black History Month going and spread awareness about why BHM is an annual observance period and what its continued significance is today ( watch this 3:45min video about its origins ). Take this time to learn something new, see what you can do in your everyday life to help those around you ( challenge your assumptions! ), and highlight the Black creators and characters in the media we all love on the wiki!
There's plenty more to do, so if you have your own idea or want to brainstorm, don't hesitate to leave a comment! Have you already set something up for BHM? Share your project so we may highlight it to a larger audience!
