February is Black History Month.
For the next 28 days (29 this year, cuz #LeapYear) we’ll hear much chatter of the importance of Black and African American contributions here in America.
We’ll celebrate Black culture, cuisine, music, style, touch on the legacy of slavery, and talk about the four or five canonized figures in Black and African American history.
We’ll see brands and companies share images that are to be representative and encompassing of all things Black: models of varying shades of brown and black with different body types and different hair textures & styles.
These images are to give us a taste of the representation that is otherwise missing the other 337 days of the year. For 8.30% of the year. And for these breadcrumbs we’re supposed to be happy, satisfied, and scream “YASSSSSS!! *insert clapping emoji here*” because, representation.
I don’t accept that.
The contributions and history of Black and African Americans in this country are not and therefore should not be confined to 28 days. EVERY month is Black History Month because Black History IS American history. There would be no America without the quite literal blood, sweat, and tears from the African slaves brought to this country, stripped of their humanity, and forced to labor and build this nation without any type of financial compensation or recognition. There would be no America without those slaves and their descendants.
There are certain companies within industries there are great about representation just as there are companies within industries that haven’t been great in the past. But as the wheels of change turn, these companies and industries are taking strides toward recognizing their biases and making an active effort in bettering themselves in terms of representation and appreciation.
There are however certain brands and companies that do the absolute least year-round as it pertains to representation. I would actually go as far as to say it seems they would rather eat glass with a side of black mold than post a picture of a black man or woman BUT as soon as Black History Month comes around, they like to play pretend at representation for just 28 days. That is actually if they acknowledge they have a diversity/ representation problem to begin with or acknowledge Black History Month as an actual thing that’s occurring.
I would say that in 2020, the biggest offenders are the fashion and fitness industry. Since I am not in the fashion industry, I am not going to talk about that. I am however in the fitness industry so I am going to ABSOLUTELY talk about that.
When you think of the fitness industry and fitness instructors, I imagine the first image that comes to your mind is a skinny, blonde, white woman. This the most common image out there and often the extent of diversity is considered as throwing a brunette into the mix. If they’re feeling REALLY frisky and looking for head pats, perhaps a fully figured white woman will be posted. Need some color? Here you go – a buff Black guy with a shaved head or Ceaser cut with a pearly white smile will suffice for diversity. He may have a beard; beards are really in these days. Things are getting real diverse up in here, got all the Karens raising the roof!
As a Black woman, I do not see my reflection in this industry. Actually that’s a lie – I VERY RARELY see my reflection in this industry. That is except for when Black History Month rolls around.
And we’re supposed to clap for this because REPRESENTATION!
I find this to be offensive, ignorant, and pandering on many levels. Are we not good enough to be represented year-round? Do we not deserve a place in the bigger picture?
My contributions in this industry: my voice, my energy, my sweat, my efforts, my time, my heart, my work are not confined within 28 days so why should I only be represented for 28 days?
There are certain companies and brands within the fitness industry that get this right, Athleta, SoulCycle, K-Deer, and Fabletics immediately come to mind, yet so many companies get it wrong. And they don’t get it wrong because they don’t know any better.
They get it wrong because they are unwilling to diversify their leadership and have brown and black people take a seat at the table. It is not a lack of talent that keeps us out of the picture and away from the table; there are DOZENS of fitness instructors that are killing it in this industry yet they are not equally represented.
These companies and brands get it wrong because they are comfortable with the way things are. They do not want to change. They are fine with pushing a singular image/ narrative and believe that representing us within the confines of Black History Month is enough.
It is NOT enough and I do not accept that. And honestly it’s really hard to work for a company where I see this every single day – scraps for representation and an unwillingness to diversify. I’m still trying to rectify that with myself. Because even though I don’t accept it, I am just as complicit for participating in it.
So how do we enact change? Our voice. I sent an email as well as a video to said company expressing the need for better representation that shouldn’t be confined to Black History Month. They haven’t responded to my email. And honestly? I don’t expect them to.
But I will admit I think it’s funny they were alright taking songs from the Black History Month inspired playlist I sent along with the aforementioned email however didn’t acknowledge the actual substance of my email addressing representation that was contained in the email.
Maybe they’re busy. If I don’t hear back by the end of the month, I will consider posting the video here.
In the meantime, I will continue to use my voice as best as I can and I hope that while you are celebrating Black History Month, you recognize that it is something that should be celebrated every single day of every single year. Black is beautiful, Black is deserving of representation, and Black History is powerful. We are more than deserving of a seat at the table and a place in the bigger picture 24/7/365.
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