Every February in the US, we celebrate Black History Month to honor the African Americans who helped shape the nation. Their Contributions and Sacrifices molded the country to what it is today. However, with February wrapping up, we see the many vibrant celebrations come to an end. While many communities find ways to celebrate black history throughout the year, February is truly the time to claim our own.

New York held extensive exhibits all over the city, San Antonio, Texas kicked off their celebrations in January with the largest MLK day parade in the Nation, which set the scene for Black History Month celebrations and exhibits. The Oakland Museum of California held a powerful Black Panther Party exhibit that traveled through twelve sites that were significant in the organization’s history.

How did your organization support Black History Month? Did you volunteer, attend, or help support any local Black History Month events, or did you just put up an obligatory “Happy Black History Month” banner on your website? If you showed up, that’s great. But if you didn’t show up, why would you expect the African American community to do business with you, or establish relationships with your organization?

Does your organization truly want to support, include, and gain business with all community members? If so, it is vital that you support their celebrations, holidays, history, and culture.

The good news is, even though it’s too late for Black History Month, Juneteenth is just around the corner. Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the United States and is the longest-running African American holiday. So, now is the time to start thinking about how you can support and elevate the African American Community and their celebrations in June.

Get prepared and start outreaching to the African American community. Find out how you can support their events or work to create your own. Remember, most organizations, especially nonprofits, always have a need for volunteers, visibility, and funding for these events. So, start talking with your staff about what you have to offer or what you can do to make sure that you are becoming part of the conversation and part of the celebration, rather than being an obligatory banner!