On Friday 1st October, I attended the launch event for Black History Month with Eli. The event was to mark the first day of Black History Month. What a great start to October! Black History Month is a remembrance of important people and events in history. The theme this year was ‘Struggles and Triumph’. It is celebrated annually and this year I was given the honour to represent the Youth Cabinet and as MYP to give an influential speech about ‘struggles and triumph’.
I wanted to talk about the triumphs, reason being it is more positive but, it is also important to remember the struggles of those people who experienced it. When preparing my speech I found out that the fountain pen, gas mask and even a refrigerator were all invented by black people. When I talked about the fountain pen I held up my very own Parker pen! When I read my speech the audience did seem to like that (the inventions that is, and the pen!) Eli’s speech was really inspiring and the audience were really engaged with what he had to say. He deserved a round of applause (which he did!) Another guest speaker was also amazing – Farida Anderson. She told us of her experience and it made me think it’s not just black people we should be aware of in general; it’s also of their work.
I hope the audience acknowledged that we should appreciate the triumphs and struggles black people went through, but also to be aware of other ethnic minority backgrounds that have made a positive contribution to our society. Black History Month shouldn’t just be a day to remember these people, or a month to remember. But instead every single day to remember. I really enjoyed the performances that morning and I hope that the intended message was portrayed to each person who came.
Shereen Patel
Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here
Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel