With this month being Black History Month, I wanted to share some of the things that I learned over the past few weeks when it comes to celebrating and supporting Black History Month via our marketing efforts and on social media.
New Terms I Learned
Recently, I learned some new terms that I wasn’t aware about before:
Color-brave and Colorism
A fellow HITMC Community member, Shereese Maynard pointed out that there are folks and collaborators within the industry who are “color-brave” These people are open to discussing topics centered around race and inclusion.
I have to say, in this sector, I have found a few colleagues, with whom I work or collab with, who are color-brave (yes, it’s a thing), and with whom I can discuss topics around race and inclusion. It’s a good feeling. #hitsm
— Shereese Maynard, MS; MBA 😷 She/Her (@ShereeseMayMba) February 4, 2022
Colorism is discrimination that favors a decision-maker’s own racial group. I like this term because it acknowledges the bias we all have for people who look like us and have similar cultural backgrounds.
So be color-brave and avoid colorism and perpetuating color biases by bringing a range of complexions to your campaign assets.
Promote Black Figures and Their Contributions:
Not only a great history lesson, but a great way to celebrate Black History Month on social media is by promoting prominent Black figures, achievements and facts.
While most brands tend to spotlight Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks, it’s equally important to do the research, and go beyond the obvious choices.
Our good friends at KNB Communications always do a stellar job of this during Black History Month and throughout the year.
@EverydayHealth reports that Black Americans below the poverty level are twice as likely to suffer from severe stress, as well as experience feelings of hopelessness. #BHM2022 #Blackhealthfacts #publichealth pic.twitter.com/pj0HBcW7qH
— KNB Communications (@KNBComm) February 11, 2022
@EverydayHealth reports that Black women are one of the most undertreated groups in the U.S. when it comes to battling depression.#BHM2022 #Blackhealthfacts #publichealth pic.twitter.com/DhuZE7kNmt
— KNB Communications (@KNBComm) February 9, 2022
@EverydayHealth reports that Black Americans often see the stigma surrounding mental health to be overwhelming, and often discourages the seeking of treatment. #BHM2022 #Blackhealthfacts #publichealth pic.twitter.com/3YwxITaFT9
— KNB Communications (@KNBComm) February 7, 2022
Pass the Mic
To avoid being labelled disingenuous or opportunistic during Black History Month, it’s important that companies spotlight Black creators, professionals, collaborators, entrepreneurs, and Black-owned brands within our industry during Black History Month and year-round.
Let them take center stage, while you support from the sidelines. Allow them to use your platform to share their personal experiences and elevate and amplify their stories in their own words. This can be done by having Black creators take over your Instagram or Twitter, take part in a Q&A, or tell their story via an interview.
Be Prepared to Act!
It’s one thing to show your support, it’s another thing to act! One thing that I learned was that if you are going to speak up, then you need to be prepared to act.
Organizations must be ready to show how they are backing up their words with visible action. The journey starts with an internal conversation from the top to the bottom about inclusivity and diversity. Diverse voices and representation need to be woven into the core of your company’s brand and culture. Make it part of your corporate DNA. The actions a brand takes ripples outside of the organization and can impact society as a whole.
Hashtags & Hot Topics to Cover/Use During Black History Month
During a recent twitter chat, the #HITsm community was asked about topics and hashtags that should be covered and used during Black History Month this year. I found them helpful and thought I would share them here:
Hashtags to Use
- #BHM2022
- #BlackHistoryMonth
- #BHM2022
- #Blackhealthfacts
- #Blackhistory
- #Blackexcellence
Some of the hot topics that the community wanted to see be amplified during Black History Month were:
- Black Creators/Inventors
- Black Women in Healthcare
- Black Mental Health and
- Black Inclusivity
Some hot topics for BHM would be Black women in healthcare, Black mental health, and Black inclusivity. #HITsm #BLM #blackexcellence #blackwomenintech #blackpower
— liana (@limuaremi) February 4, 2022
Support Isn’t Just 1 Month of the Year
While I think this is a given. I thought it was important to say it again. Simply running a special campaign in February and then being radio silent for the rest of the year is just paying lip service to Black History Month. We need to do more.
Black inclusivity and diversity inclusivity should be happening all year round. We all need to learn how to champion Black and diverse people, culture and achievements for 365 days. It’s definitely not an easy thing to do, but it’s something worthy of striving for.
How is your organization celebrating and supporting Black History Month? What topics is your organization focusing on? Share them with us!
Add Comment