February is known as Black History Month in these yet to be United States since they decided that we could get a month. I’m Afro Latina so I identify with black people here on this land and in my island of Puerto Rico.
I’m really working on taking better care of myself so on this Black History Month and the Month of Love, I want to get better at slowing down and not being so busy. It’s hard to do that in the society of the Internet and social media because it seems like everyone has access to you and so many people are asking for support and looking to get you involved in their activities, but it doesn’t seem to be reciprocated. So, what I will do is say “no” a lot and support when I can and when I want to. I’ve learned that after you get to a certain age, you can do whatever you want to do and nobody can say anything about it because I am grown.
On the City Council, I plan to continue to speak my truth and help to educate others on why we bring race into the conversation “all the time”. There are some people on the City Council who don’t need to think about race all the time. After a comment I made regarding the history of oppression to Black people in this country, I got a letter from one of our constituents, not in my ward, who felt the need to question my need to bring race into the conversation. I had to remind him that I have “race” on my mind on a daily minute-to-minute basis because that is what this country has done.
I am going to continue to talk about race because that’s what I live. That’s my water. White people don’t have to think about race all the time because the structure has been created to put them in a place where they think that the white race is the model by which we all must live by and fortunately that’s not true. Race is a specious concept that was created to oppress people of color and create a superior person on the backs of those very same people of color.
I digress, but I will continue to fight for the residents of our city no matter what color they are and I will continue to educate if I can, especially during Black History Month. I do have to remember that it’s not my responsibility to educate everyone. Please pick up the A Peoples History of the United States by Howard Zinn. It’s on Audible and Matt Damon reads it. It is good. It’s a long book but listening to Matt Damon makes the time go by faster. Please consider doing that for Black History Month. So, on this Black History Month 2025, let’s remember that “Together we thrive in 2025” as Robin Roberts said.
Happy Black History Month and Happy Valentine’s Day. ■