It’s interesting that Black History month is in the same month as the day we show each other love. It seems appropriate that the race equity work that we need to do in this country is seen along with affection and appreciation for one another. I remember as a kid that Valentine’s Day wasn’t about romance but about telling everyone in the class that you loved and appreciated them – albeit with flimsy cardboard and sticky candy. Race equity work needs more substantial support than flimsy tokens and saccharine affections, however. The long arc of justice that Martin Luther King, Jr., described belongs to all of us. It needs the sustaining devotion of naming the particular needs and assets of communities when we are addressing the power imbalances inherited and perpetuated in society. Real appreciation, and dare I say love, is needed if we are to build more equity into our communities.

Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be the only day in the year that we tell people we love them, and February shouldn’t be the only month we discuss the significant contributions and influence of African-Americans in the shaping of America and our communities. Yet, it doesn’t hurt to have a day like Valentine’s Day when we are intentional about demonstrating love to one another. And, it benefits us all to have a Black History month when we are intentional about focusing on the stories, voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of African-Americans and the contributions that they and other people of color have had in developing our communities.

The nonprofit sector, and our organizations, are no exception to this need to grow in our race equity work, my own organization included. As we find our way forward through the long arc of justice, here are two opportunities to help keep ourselves aligned with the trajectory.

Dream Clock – A Guide to Improving Racial Relations on Friday, February 19: This very practical and step by step guide to discussing and building understanding between communities was developed by Rev. Dr. Clarence Hill, the founder and visionary behind the Stronger Together Movement. His model for building racial equity which he calls, “The Dream Clock,” was featured in the Oklahoman and has been used by organizations to create pathways for inclusion in their organizations and communities. The very practical model applies to larger or small communities, metro or non-metro communities, individuals and families, and organizations of all sizes. Dr. Hill is the Senior Pastor of Antioch Community Church in Norman and has received the Community Champion award as a result of his work in gathering leaders and addressing health and other disparities in marginalized communities. This 2-hour seminar is virtual in order to maintain health, safety, and access opportunities to everyone in our network.

Race to Lead: Addressing the Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap, February 26: The Building Movement Project – a national organization that aligns nonprofit missions with their values around equity and fair treatment – are back in Oklahoma for a FREE seminar – to show us their next round of national data on the truth and opportunities of racial equity work within the nonprofit sector. Their national survey is now in its second cycle and this data-driven discussion on diversity in Oklahoma’s nonprofit leadership structure is worth our attention. The discussion will include a panel of participants who will reflect on the survey’s findings and lead a conversation about responses and opportunities in continuing to move forward in race equity work within our sector. Panelists include:

                Sean Thomas-Breitfeld -- Building Movement Project

                Sara Price, M.S., Ed, -- Muscogee (Creek) Nation

  Jabar Shumate -- Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City

Adam Soltani – Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Oklahoma

Senator George Young – Oklahoma State Senator, District 48

Janetta Cravens, MDiv, MA – Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits

This 3 hour learning event is virtual in order to maintain health, safety, and access opportunities to everyone in our network.