Every day is a time to celebrate, honor and pay tribute to Blacks who have contributed a great deal to the positive lived experiences of Americans, but February, during Black History Month, is a concerted time to remember and reflect. For 2016, two Teach For America – Metro Atlanta staffers share their thoughts on the importance of paying homage to trailblazers who ardently pursued fairness, justice and freedom.

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Even though I tell this story very often, it still rings true in my heart each and every day.

When I was a little kid in Jackson, Mississippi, my teachers always reminded me of the importance that I honor the Black heroes and heroines that came before me. I will never forget what happened in the 2nd grade in Ms. O’Dell’s class.

During movie time, my classmates and I sat down on the rough blue industrial-style carpet and we assumed we were preparing to watch the latest Disney movie. But what we were about to see was nowhere near a cartoon.

My teacher said, “Today’s showing is a lesson on Black History.” On the screen, in black and white film, I saw painful images of black Americans being brutally beaten by police officers. And why?  Because of their skin color.

I didn’t understand.

But years later, at my alma mater, the historically black Jackson State University, my professors reminded me that although those images I saw in 2nd grade were true and honest, our society has come a long way to heal old, blood-filled wounds. But with haste, they also said the scars of the 1960s are not hidden from the skin.

Flash forward to 2016, we still face racial inequality. But, just as those before me, I am committed to celebrating my ancestors who fought so hard to achieve justice, while remembering the fight for justice is not over.

- Hubert Tate

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An unsung African-American hero that I really respect is Kimberle Crenshaw. She is a professor of law at UCLA, and she was the first person to introduce widely the idea of intersectionality between parts of a person’s identity.

She was particularly interested in highlighting the unique struggles faced by black women in the 1980s.  I find this idea extremely valuable when talking about sexism, racism, able-ism, and other identity markers because we can distill the parts of ourselves that are privileged and which parts of us face prejudice and systemic oppression.

 Intersectionality gives us a more nuanced way to talk about power and equity.

- Julie Allen