Opinion
In every lifetime, I would choose to be Black.
Yes, we have the shortest month of the year to celebrate the ways Black people have shaped and contributed to the world — but we make the most of it. That’s what Black people do. We make the most of what we have.
I would choose to be Black in every lifetime, and my hope is that everyone would choose to be exactly who they are, every time. That we would love ourselves deeply enough to choose ourselves at every opportunity. For me, that is also the essence of Black history — choosing myself, loving myself, celebrating myself, and having the freedom to do that in community. With people who look like me, who share similar foods and traditions. With people who move to the same rhythms, who know exactly how to shake their hips when the beat drops.
Black History Month has a longer, more deeply rooted history in the U.S. than it does here in Canada, and I love the boldness — the exaggeration, the extraness — that comes with it. The memes, the videos, the photography on social media get bolder and better every year. February feels like a collective, code-switching-free pass for Black people across North America. We get to show up unfiltered, unapologetic, and unburdened by white fragility.
Black History Month is when Black folks say, “Mmmhmm, get someone else to do it,” or “Not during Black History Month,” or “You know it’s Black History Month, right?” It’s a time when we get to be seen, celebrated, and to celebrate the people, past and present, who have shaped our lives and continue to make our time on this earth more vibrant, more joyful, more possible.
In celebration of Black History Month in the Halton region, I want to take a moment to shout out a few people and organizations who are doing this work in real, tangible ways. Gennile Thomas-Smith, founder of Halton Black Voices (HBV), leads with a commitment and love for community that is both genuine and forward-thinking. Liberation and the breaking of stereotypes are embedded in the framework of HBV — from The Cookout and The Campout, which give Black families opportunities to experience camping, hiking, and outdoor activities, to Deep Roots Basketball and tutoring programs. In the time I’ve lived in Burlington, I’ve never seen another organization give back to the community in the ways Halton Black Voices consistently does.
I also want to acknowledge Chichi Okiche, founder of Nigerian Mums of the West, whose work brings women together and creates safe, affirming spaces for mothers to build meaningful community. The board of directors often uses their own personal funds to organize events and give back — work that is impactful, essential, and too often goes unrecognized.
And a heartfelt shout-out to Denise and Richard, steel pan instructors through the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton. Through their weekly classes, they share culture while creating a welcoming, family-oriented space. Because of this class, my family has made lifelong friends and developed a deeper, more rooted sense of community.
There are many more people contributing to positive Black experiences in the Halton region, but these are individuals and organizations that have directly impacted my life and make me feel proud to be Black in Burlington.
For me, Black History Month is not about slavery. It’s not about the Underground Railroad or the escape from bondage. Those conversations belong on Canada Day and Independence Day in the U.S., because that is the truth of how these countries were built — on the backs of Black people.
Black History Month is about celebrating our culture, in all its forms. It’s about recognizing the value Black people have added to society every single day for hundreds of thousands of years. It’s about our music, our dancing, our food, our hair, our skin — and the ways we continue to find liberation in a world that still too often sees us as property. It’s about uplifting ourselves so we can continue uplifting the world. It’s about learning from one another and deepening our understanding of how to navigate systems that were never designed with us in mind.
Black History Month is about truth. It’s about honesty, liberation, freedom, expression, recognition, love, and life.
In 2026, Black History Month marks 100 years since its foundational beginnings in the United States. One hundred years of oral history. One hundred years of community and unity. One hundred years of strength and joy that surpass all understanding.
In another 100 years, I hope Black History Month still exists and that it continues to evolve and transform, just like we do.
Cheers to 100 years of Black History Month — and many more to come.
