The 29 Not-So-Hidden Messages in #BlackHistoryReimagined
As a trained journalist who also has a heart for social justice and civil rights, writing the news of our life has been challenging for me. There have been so many things I wish I could say, messages I can’t push, and slants I know I’m not allowed to take. I’m a rule-follower, so my journalism knows no hidden agendas. In the spirit of bucking the system, I’ve been not so strategically hiding messages in my Black History Month project, #BlackHistoryReimagined. Based on some of the comments I have received, some of you caught these little tidbits straight-away, others may have been so enthralled in the reimagining that you didn’t notice. Either way, the project is over and I’m fessing up! Here are the 29 Not-So-Hidden Messages in #BlackHistoryReimagined.
- Gianna Bryant — Equal Pay for Women (Athletes)
2. Jordan Davis — Youth leadership is invaluable
3. Bobbi Kristina Brown — Substance abuse can have indirect effects
4. Jean-Michel Basquiat — Yes you can be a gentrifier, even if you’re black
5. Ana Marquez-Greene — Representation Matters
6. Lee Thompson Young — Destigmatizing Mental Health Issues
7. Tammi Terrell — The possible correlation between neurological health and emotional and physical trauma
8. John Crawford — Full brain development doesn’t occur until 25
9. Michelle Thomas — Creative marketing concepts for sustainability
10. Botham Jean — Unlikely effects of Social Isolation
11. Lorraine Hansberry — LGBTQ+ Activism+Living your truth
12. Fred Hampton — Buy Back the Block
13. Aaliyah — Story sharing to provide true mentorship
14. Jimmie Lee Jackson — Vote like your life depends on it
15. Donny Hathaway — Consider that “Someday we’ll all be free” is actually about Schizophrenia
16. Lefteye — Servant leadership
17. Kalief Browder — The devastation of Stop-and-Frisk Policies
18. Minnie Riperton — Importance of Breast Self-Checks/Screenings
19. George Stoney — Prison reform and the right to vote
20. Otis Redding — Build wealth by owning your publishing
21. Ronald McNair — Creating access removes educational barriers
22. Tony Thompson — Recognition of success builds more success
23. Philando Castile — Why isn’t school lunch free?
24. Aiyana Stanley-Jones — Take up space
25. Len Bias — Substance abuse is an illness and requires supportive measures, not stigma.
26. Steve Biko — Racism exists all over the world
27. Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly — Don’t stop providing mentorship just because the person has grown up
28. Willie Francis — Juvenile Justice Reform still has a long way to go
29. Nipsey Hussle — Invest in pipelines to success the same way large industry invests in pipelines to prison
