February 1, 2021

Dear All,

Happy Monday everyone—and I hope you all also join me in recognizing today as the first day of Black History Month. Thanks to the work of our amazing Black/African American Cultural Center, there is a rich slate of virtual events to engage in this month. You can also read the SOURCE story about this month’s keynote speaker, Wesley Hamilton, and check out events happening in Fort Collins. It’s a testament to the extraordinary energy and commitment of our staff, students, faculty and community members that we have access to so many ways to celebrate and participate in Black History Month, despite the COVID pandemic limitations on events.

Last night, coincidentally, I happened to be listening to a podcast about the effort to recognize Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. The episode delved into Tubman’s extraordinary biography, most of which I certainly never learned in school. This made me think about how incredibly important it is not just to remember and learn from history as it is presented to us, but to also seek information to replace fragmented narratives with deeper and more rounded truths.

We are committed to building a just and equitable community for all here at CSU. But we will be better prepared to create that future when we truly understand our past, including the history of Black America and Black Americans that we celebrate this month.

Warmly,

Joyce