MADISON, Wis. — Today marks the first day of Black History Month in 2022 – a month in which we honor and reckon with the history of Black Americans, while also building a future that recognizes and uplifts the invaluable contributions and countless investments made by Black leaders in our local communities, both across the nation and right here in Wisconsin.
Over the next 28 days, many of us will explore and reflect on Black history – but to make the Badger state a safer, better place for Black Wisconsinites, it’s important to take it a step further by investing in the present and future. Not just in February, but all year long.
You can take action for tangible change by supporting, listening to, and amplifying Black leaders around you, and by having tough but necessary conversations with your friends, family, and community. You can be intentional about the way you spend your time, your money, and your vote this year.
“Part of building a better future is having a well-rounded education on the past, and that’s why your vote holds a lot of power this Black History Month and beyond,” commented Chris Walloch, executive director of A Better Wisconsin Together. “A handful of Wisconsin Republicans want to keep our country’s true history away from our kids. These GOP politicians want to ban schools from teaching the real, yet hard truths of America’s past.”
If the right-wing legislators succeed, it would be illegal to teach students in Wisconsin about the harms of racism and would give Republicans the power to remove vital funding from school districts who teach about race in our nation’s history.
“Together, by voting in local elections like the primary on February 15, we can jumpstart progressive movement on the issues and make it clear to our elected leaders that we must not erase Black history from our schools,” Walloch said. “Black history isn’t just the past. It’s our present, it’s our future, and it’s going to take more than the 28 days in February to fight for racial equity, set intentional goals, and hold ourselves accountable.”
