Black History Month 2020

For MIDC, Black History Month is such an important time of year. It’s a chance for us to celebrate our heritage and triumphs, reflect on our struggles, and look to the future of African American culture.

This year’s Black History Month was another memorable month full of celebration and honors. Dr. Karen Dade, MIDC’s founder, received the 2020 Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Award from the Bellingham Unity Committee for her “unwavering dedication toward community building through unity and service”. This award was presented at “Ascendants of the Movement”, an event where attendees came together as an inclusive community to celebrate, enjoy soul food and live entertainment, and honor MLK and those from the movement who have worked to keep his dream alive.

Karen was also the keynote speaker at a Martin Luther King Jr. assembly at Sehome High School in Bellingham, where she spoke about her connection with MLK and studying under his sister Christine, the discrimination that African Americans have faced, the history of African American culture, and how today’s African American culture is a mix of African and American traditions.

Following the assembly, one student wrote Karen with heartwarming words. ” I just wanted to thank you very much for showing my school our history for the first time. I feel more connected to my peers in a way that will change our world forever.” Below is a collection of photos from the assembly (Karen is circled in the bottom left photo).

The past couple years, we’ve had some other exciting events during Black History Month. We held “Africa to America” workshops and events at Western Washington University both years, which are participatory workshops that demonstrate the importance of arts in education as a tool for achieving goals of social justice and equity, and ways to integrate social justice arts across curriculum. Below is a video from Western’s 2018 workshop.

Black History Month is a wonderful time of year for us, and we’re always looking for opportunities to celebrate it with old and new friends. If you’d like to inquire about featuring MIDC at a Black History Month event next year, don’t hesitate to reach out and tell us about your ideas!