On what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King's 92nd Birthday, CMHA's Valuing Diversity Committee hosted its first-ever Diversity Discussion, welcoming staff from across the agency to participate and share "What MLK Day Means to Me."
With a variety of participants, from one who recalls the first time they saw the Civil Rights Leader on television as a child to another who speaks of seeing MLK's global impact first hand, this discussion brought together multiple perspectives all while underscoring Dr. King's lasting impact across generations.
CMHA looks forward to sharing more of these conversations with you and seeing how together we can continuously strive to make this a better world for all. Watch the full discussion here on YouTube.
Later in February, CMHA's Valuing Diversity Committee shared the following message with our staff, clients, and supporters at the start of the month: "As an organization, we are proud to continue the celebration and recognition of Black History in our country. We often say that our culture is a differentiating factor that contributes to our success and makes CMHA unique. One key piece of our culture is our commitment to creating an inclusive environment..."
In honor of
Black History Month, the Diversity Committee invited employees to share their personal stories to help others understand what this month represents, as well as the vital importance of inclusivity. The results were a staff-led
educational and creative display on both
social media and in the windows of our 233 Main Street, New Britain headquarters.
Additionally, The Waterbury Spirit Committee from our 255 Bank Street offices hosted a "Coffee & Vibe" zoom event for staff across the agency to share and discuss poetry, literature, and other forms of creative expression by African Americans and Black artists. From Langston Hughes' Let America Be America Again to an interview of Angela Davis discussing Civil Rights, the discussion covered many topics related to Race, Identity, Intersectionality, and the need to self-educate.
Overall, the takeaways from these events and initiatives were the same: Black History is American History, and it needs to be celebrated beyond the 28 days of February.
