Around the world, February is acknowledged and celebrated as Black History Month. We recognize that the richness of our individual cultures, ethnicities, and intersecting identities cannot be fully explored in one month, yet we celebrate and amplify this month with a critical focus on the many achievements of Black innovators past and present.
Black History Month reminds us of all of the amazing contributions from people within the Black community, and of their ongoing journey to achieve equity and social justice.
Empowering knowledge and action: what you can start now
- Celebrate Black History Month on Telus Optik VOD: Watch great movies and support Black History Month. Telus is offering a curated selection of 47 movies on both Optik TV and Pik TV On Demand, we can build our knowledge while showing our support of Black content and the unique perspective it shares. From Feb 1 to March 1, 2021, inclusive, TELUS will give the full fee of the rentals in the “Celebrating Black History” collection to Black Health Alliance, a community-led registered charity working to improve the health and well-being of Black Communities in Canada.
- Take advantage of free Local Content: TELUS Local Content has a playlist of STORYHIVE and TELUS Original films created by Black filmmakers that centre Black voices and experiences, both historically and in the present day. Check out the Black Lives Matter playlist. Also, check out our Community Connections Showcase (Channel 345) on OptikTV featuring a curated selection of Local Content titles and YouTube playlists.
- Tune in to Telus Talks with Cicely Belle Blain - Unpacking racial injustice: George Floyd’s death sparked worldwide protests and fueled open conversations about systemic racism and privilege. In this TELUS Talks episode, Tamara Taggart sits down with Vancouver-based diversity and inclusion consultant Cicely Belle Blain, who unpacks how the social justice conversation is unfolding in Canada, the meaning of privilege, and unconscious bias, and how Canadians are both participating in and impacted by racism.
- Start with your own self-education: We encourage you to learn more about the history of Black Canadians and Canada’s anti-racism strategy:
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights
- Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy
- Race Relations in Canada, Environics
- The Canadian Human Rights Commission
- Conference Summary Report “Addressing Human Rights in a Pandemic”, September 16, 2020