Black History Month Recap!

Learning Black History Through Art & Literature at Baring House:

Baring House Crisis Nursery celebrated Black History Month by putting together lessons and activities about Black inventors, and helping the children to identify themselves in literature and through art.
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To kick off the month the class read, “I Love My Hair” by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley followed by an activity where the kids were able to use baby dolls to practice putting beads in the hair. Children also did a craft related to “I Love My Hair.”

The children also took time to learn about the history of the hijab by reading “The Proudest Blue” by Ibtihaj Muhammad. Explaining that some people cover their hair for a variety of reasons and those who choose to show their hair will put items of adornment in it that have a cultural connection. This lesson was wrapped up with a cut and paste craft where the children made pictures to resemble the girl on the cover of the book.

The “I Love My Hair” lesson was received in an amazing way by the children, two sisters even came back in the days following the activity with beads in their own hair after telling their mother about the lesson!

The next lesson focused on allowing the children to identify themselves through art, where they painted pictures and tried to mix the paint colors to match their own complexion.

Lastly, the children learned about Garret Morgan, a black man who invented the traffic light. They did a craft where they painted bowls to look like traffic lights!

Black History Month emphasizes the necessity of highlighting Black voices and culture, not just during February, but all year round. All children should feel represented when playing with toys, watching tv, or reading a book. At HopePHL, we strive to create programming like the examples above that allows our tenants to express themselves while learning about and connecting with their culture. 

2nd Annual Community Heroes Award:

The Cato-Parks Community Hero Award was created to highlight individuals, businesses, and organizations in our community that "Live the Legacy" of Black History Heroes like Octavius Catto and Rosa Parks - who led by acts of service to make their communities better!

This year, over 100 community members engaged in the nomination and voting process. Three awards were given to:

Individual Hero: Serita Lewis
Serita Lewis is the driving force behind UrbnSEEK and a native Philadelphian with a heart devoted to education, entrepreneurship, and community transformation. As an educator, entrepreneur, and devoted youth advocate, Serita has woven a narrative of impact throughout her journey, leaving a recognizable mark on the city she calls home. Serita became a founding organizer of March for Our Lives Philadelphia, a testament to her commitment to effecting positive change at a grassroots level. Her focus is on bringing awareness and support to the epidemic of gun violence - plaguing black and brown communities in Philadelphia and elevate the voices of the next generation of leaders.

Business Hero: Silk Tent/Ultra Silk Gallery 
The Silk Tent/Ultra Silk Gallery is a mainstay of Lancaster Avenue. Located near 38th Street they are a leading "gateway" business. Their expansion from a small boutique to include an art gallery incorporated artistic, historic, and cultural aspects of the community. They are dedicated to the neighborhood and customers - new and returning. Their monthly event series attracts people to visit other Lancaster Avenue businesses and organizations - which broadens a great community connection.

Organization Hero: "Kings Introduction to Leadership"
Chris Buney launched Kings Introduction To Leadership in 2021 with a group of community members - who recognized the need for youth mentorship. Kings is dedicated to helping youth with life skills, mental health, housing, financial literacy training, Food Pantries and much more. Chris and his Team have grown into a thriving nonprofit - serving hundreds of individuals each year becoming a highly impactful nonprofit organization in Philadelphia.
Thank you to all of our 2024 Hero Award winners for your passion and commitment to making our community a better place each day!

HopePHL Staff Highlights Black Heritage Through Food:

To wrap up Black History Month, HopePHL staff hosted an event to highlight black heritage through food. African American history has had a profound impact on American cuisine.

HR Assistant, Brittany Wilson, presented a slideshow full of interesting information that even connected Philadelphia's influence on Black history related to food! Did you know the "Father of Ice Cream", Augustus Jackson, was from Philadelphia?
Thank you to all of the staff members that brought in dishes inspired by Black culture for everyone to enjoy after learning with each other and creating community to celebrate Black History Month together!