Black Futures Month
, by DCEG Staff
Black Futures Month was established in 2015 by the Movement for Black Lives. It is a “visionary, forward-looking spin on celebrations of Blackness in February.”1 Black Futures Month is a time to uplift the ongoing movement for racial justice, celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black individuals, and remember and learn from Black history.
Celebrate Black Futures Month by valuing and amplifying the voices, innovation, and creativity of Black investigators, staff, and trainees. We invited a few leaders in cancer and health equity research to share what Black Futures Month means to them:
Dr. Paulette Gray
“Remembering the past and looking towards the future is admirable since Black people have contributed much to improve the substance of mankind and this country. As such, we must ensure that the humanness of Black people is recognized and appreciated.”
— Paulette Gray, Ph.D., Director, Division of Extramural Activities, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
Dr. Mya Roberson
“To me, Black Futures Month means imagining the vast possibilities for the advancement of the health and well-being of Black people; possibilities that are designed by Black people for Black people. Black Futures Month is imagining and realizing Black thriving.”
— Mya Roberson, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., Social Epidemiologist, Health Services Researcher in Cancer Care Delivery, Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt University
Dr. Amanda Calhoun
“A month dedicated to the future of Black populations means that America is truly invested in ensuring that Black people receive safe and equitable treatment in the medical system. It also means that non-Black people be willing to do the necessary work to eradicate anti-Black racism.”
— Amanda Calhoun, M.D., M.P.H., Researcher, Activist, and Anti-racism Educator, Psychiatry Resident, Yale School of Medicine
If you would like to provide anonymous feedback or suggestions, please use this one-question survey.
Learn about the work we can do to advance Black Futures:
- Utilize the Cite Black Authors database and the Cite Black Women resource
- Practice cultural awareness in mentoring
- Learn about committing to dismantling anti-Black racism in scientific research
- Black Futures Month – Envisioning where we go from here
References
1What is Black Futures Month? Movement for Black Lives. January 2022.
Browse the archive of monthly messages and learn more about the Inclusivity Minute project.