In a move that took cringe to a whole new level, they had the genius idea to assemble eight white members of their party in a pan-African full-page colour ad to honour Black History Month in the February 14 print edition of The Suburban. 

Mais vraiment? Yes, really!

I can see it now: The party desperately scrambling to put together some Black History Month visual before the clock strikes midnight. And instead of taking an introspective pause to consider the authenticity of their message and the embarrassing absence of Black people, they reinforce their lack of commitment to antiracism.

It’s like watching the same bad movie on repeat, except the popcorn has lost its flavour, and we’re all stuck in an endless loop. So, here we are at the crossroads of good intentions and epic fails.

Sigh!

If your organization is frantically cobbling together Black History Month messaging at the eleventh hour, please take a water-is-wet moment to consider these missteps. Make time to avoid the cringe trap by questioning your assumptions, and striving for meaningful change.

1. Leaving it to lastminute.com

When something is important, shouldn’t it be a priority? If you’re serious about racial equity and antiracism, wouldn’t you allocate months of preparation for Black History Month, like you would with any other business imperative?

2. Firing off templated social posts

Generic claims about “breaking bias” and “celebrating Black history” are enough to make your eyes roll. Why not share unique perspectives from Black employees? Or do some googling and come up with a tidbit of actual Black Canadian history. You’ll find it resonates far better than a generic one-size-fits-all post. 

3. Discounting guest speakers

Here’s an observation. When companies seek out experts or thought leaders to speak about Black history, they often have this expectation that Black speakers can do it for free. You can see it reflected in the miniscule budgets allocated for programming. It’s insulting and problematic and compounds the pay inequity already faced by Black people.

4. Saying or doing something that's racist

Before you post a “party of white faces” in your next Black History Month campaign or make a company quip on Twitter (sorry X) that your daughter’s friend who is Black is very nice, polite, and well brought up, ask yourself: Will this draw fire? Sometimes, saying nothing is better than saying something racist.

5. Recycling the trauma

Finally, let’s not get caught up in just sharing stories of racism and slavery. Sure, it can be powerful, but so is striking the right balance. Let’s use this time to spotlight Black people's work, their expertise, and everything that makes them kickass. Let’s promote some Black Joy! Because seriously, we could all do with a dose of that.