February Musings

I spent part of last Saturday at a gathering hosted by Fatherhood the Foundation in Bellingham celebrating Black History Month. It was an amazing combination of storytellers, poets, songs, and historians laying seeds for the next generation, who were also there sharing their voices, passion, and visions. It was also a chance for me to see what members of my team do when not wearing their ACH hats, and it makes me even more honored that they decided to join us in this transformative work. 

Being there also spurred this blog post, with thoughts about Black History Month, Healthy Heart Month, Valentine’s Day, and chocolate cream cheese. And if you’re curious what connects them all – none of them should be limited to just one month. 

In a time when decision-makers around the country are limiting what history can be taught in schools, we celebrate Black History Month, as if it is not also part of American history. This nation has many accomplishments, and we are blinding ourselves without recognizing that so much of the nation’s wealth was built upon the backs (and the minds, intelligence, and innovation) of immigrants, slaves, and Indigenous peoples. Ironically, there is not a month dedicated solely to ‘American History’ but as we think of this month, and many others, know that we are all a part of the history – and future – of this nation. (link to a sample listing of heritage and awareness months; there are certainly more out there.) 

February is also American Heart Health Month. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and this intertwines with Black History Month because African Americans are 30 percent more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic whites, according to the Office of Minority Health. This link from the Cleveland Clinic provides a high-level description of how race and ethnicity play into heart disease, but one number is striking – 59 percent of Black adults have hypertension. 

A few years ago we learned about Live Well San Diego, and for the last 15 years in February, they have held blood pressure checks stationed throughout their area – at grocery stores, pharmacies, libraries, fire departments, salons, faith communities, and more. They call it “Love Your Heart” month, with campaigns to have everyone ‘know their numbers.’ They use demographic data to prioritize the screening sites in communities with higher numbers of people at risk for undetected hypertension. This intentional outreach to reach those most at risk is an example of targeted universalism. Everyone is welcome, but they recognize that not everyone has the same access or incentives to early identification of hypertension. 

Which brings me full circle to chocolate cream cheese! A local Bellingham bagel maker offers chocolate cream cheese every February – in alignment (I think) with Valentine’s Day, a day devoted to expressing love. Then again, maybe it is a tribute to Black History Month? But I question why just one day; why just one month? We live in a world where people are hungry for connection and community, and we could use more efforts to remind us how we are all intertwined and can take action together. We can celebrate things simultaneously. As a person whose life touches so many of these annual awareness days/months, my takeaway is always that we are more connected than disconnected, and more alike than not alike (thank you Maya Angelou for imprinting those thoughts on my psyche).

Be well, and looking forward to seeing you all again soon.