My Promise to Black History Month

Dear Black History Month,

Please listen, as I have a few things to say. I know that we have done you little justice, and to be honest we have fallen short of your expectation, and have even questioned your purpose. We have degraded ourselves, and abandoned our beliefs. We have made attempts to make ourselves better, but the truth is we have created more ways to poison ourselves than to uplift ourselves. Furthermore, we are poisoning our communities and have left little for those that will come after us. I am sorry, but I would like to take this opportunity to recommit myself to you, and my community.

I promise to search for my identity that was stripped away hundreds of years ago. I promise to dismiss the stereotypes that have precluded me, and rise up beyond the voids of yesteryear. I promise to not allow the gap between my elders and my generation to increase. I promise to not settle for what society deems to be the path of a black man. I promise to respect; myself, black women, my elders, and my community. I promise to embrace Black History Month, and to use it as an opportunity to learn more about my heritage, my history, my beliefs, my identity and the legacy you left me, so long ago. To Black History Month and those that came before me, this is my vow to you.

Love,
Justin Dawkins