Be the Light in Celebration of Black History Month

Celebrating Black History Month

While there is still so much to be done to address racial injustices in our world, these inspiring words from three Black poets, from Canada and the U.S., provide important reminders to help guide our actions.

El Jones, a longtime BIPOC advocate who was Halifax’s Poet Laureate from 2013 to 2015 and is currently Writer-in-Residence at the University of Toronto, says:

Activism is 90% listening.

In this excerpt from The Hill We Climb, Amanda Gorman, the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate and the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, encourages us to be the light of change:

When day comes we step out of the shade,

aflame and unafraid 

The new dawn blooms as we free it 

For there is always light,

if only we're brave enough to see it

If only we're brave enough to be it”

Maya Angelou, who, at the time of Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration in 1993, was the first-ever inaugural poet to be female and African American, is known to have said:

Maya Angelou

We would also like to share POGO’s statement regarding systemic racism and equity. It can also be found on our website.

POGO: Our commitment to putting equity at the heart of everything we do

At the heart of POGO’s mission is our commitment to work in collaboration across Ontario and beyond to ensure everyone affected by childhood cancer has access to the best care and support.   We believe diverse perspectives strengthen our ability to deliver on this mission, and that to achieve our vision of excellence requires an environment in which everyone feels welcomed and valued, including our team, and those we serve and with whom we work.

We are taking action to:

  • Have our organization reflect the diverse community we serve
  • Empower people from all backgrounds to do their best work in support of our mission
  • Reduce barriers to our programs and services
  • Be a positive voice to address inequities in the broader childhood cancer system
  • Educate ourselves on issues of systemic racism, diversity, equity and inclusion to help us be positive agents of change

 

 

 

All active news articles