Celebrate Black History Month!

Black History Month is coming to a close, but that does not mean we should stop recognizing the contributions that African Americans have made and continue to make in U.S. history. EdTrust-Midwest is grateful for the strong partnership we have built with our Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity (MPEO) coalition, as we continue efforts to identify ways to close gaps in opportunity and achievement that disproportionately impact students who are the most underserved, with a particular focus on Black and Latino/a students and students from low-income backgrounds.

Monique Marks, president & CEO at Franklin Wright Settlements and MPEO member, took a moment to share with us what Black History Month means to her, and the advocacy work she does today.

“History is vital to the development of any child,” explained Marks. “You cannot teach a child self-worth without sharing lessons of success and resilience from their ancestral past. This is especially true for African American children. They need to understand their rich heritage before, during and after enslavement in the United States. As a conscious collective we must resist efforts to deprive our children of true history.”

When sharing what we can do collectively to lift diverse and inclusive voices in our communities, Marks shares those who care about freedom and equality must lift their collective voices and verbalize the lessons we all learn from history.

“We are required to reject all attempts to pretend that slavery did not exist,” said Marks. “America is tainted with having committed a generations long crime against humanity. America is also blessed with the power of acknowledging wrongs and working hard to repair damage done by past. We are a restorative nation by virtue of our creed which grants liberty and justice for all. All who care about freedom and equality must lift their collective voices and verbalize the lessons we all learn from history.”