Falmouth Kicks Off Black History Month Events February 3
The Woods Hole Diversity Advisory Committee is bringing the community together again this year through Black History Month, an annual celebration of African American history and culture with month-long programming and activities.
The theme for 2022 is Black Health and Wellness. A statement from the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the creators of Black History Month, said that this theme “acknowledges the legacy of not only Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also other ways of knowing—birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etcetera—throughout the African Diaspora. The 2022 theme considers activities, rituals and initiatives that Black communities have done to be well… We are determined to create a platform that shines a light on the multiple facets of Black health and wellness through education and activism. There is much to uncover, amplify, question, and correct.”
The community events and activities were organized by the Black History Month Committee, co-chaired by Woods Hole Diversity Advisory Committee members Larry Alade and Onjalé Scott Price, who are also affiliated with NOAA and the Falmouth Select Board, respectively. All of the events are free; however many require registration ahead of time. Most will be livestreamed or recorded for later viewing.
A virtual book reading by Stefanie Corbin, owner of Footprints Café, will kick off February’s celebrations on Thursday, February 3, at 6 PM. Ms. Corbin will be reading “I Am Every Good Thing” by Derrick Barnes and “The Me I Choose To Be” by Natasha Tarpley. Both books are appropriate for children ages 4 through 8, and registration is required.
A film screening of “Human Nature” by Adam Bolt will take place February 10 through 13 in partnership with the Woods Hole Film Festival. The film takes a look at the groundbreaking technology known as CRISPR and provides a “provocative exploration of CRISPR’s far-reaching implications through the eyes of the scientists who discovered it, the families it’s affecting, and the bioengineers who are testing its limits.” Film access is free during the aforementioned dates through a link on the Black History Month webpage.
The third event of the month will be a discussion about closing the racial gap in swimming skills and water competency called “Who Inherits The Waves?” The event will be held via Zoom on Thursday, February 17, at noon and is in partnership with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Panelists will include Dr. Nevada Winrow, founder and president of Black Girls Dive Foundation, Carlee Jackson and Jaida Elcock of Minorities in Shark Sciences, and Dr. Jeff Wiltse, a noted historian and author of “Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America.”
Misty Boachie, the founder and CEO of Excavate Wellness will present “What Lies Beneath: Unearthing Not-So-Subtle Roadblocks to Wellness,” on Thursday, February 24, at 6 PM. Dr. Boachie, a Pharmacotherapy Board-certified pharmacist who is currently serving in leadership at Northside Hospital, will provide an intimate, solutions-oriented exploration of often unexamined obstacles to achieving optimal physical and emotional well-being, namely trauma, addiction, and mental illness. The event will be held via Zoom.
The final event of Black History Month will be at Falmouth Academy’s Simon Center on Monday, February 28, at 7 PM. Dr. Kathryn Hall, deputy executive director for Population Health and Health Equity at the Boston Public Health Commission, will present “COVID-19 and Health Inequality: The Strained Alchemy of Two Pandemics.” Registration is necessary for the event and masks are required to be worn throughout the duration. It will also be livestreamed on Facebook, the FCTV Public Channel 13, and recorded for later viewing.
In addition to individual events, there is also a month-long student contest that asks students to come up with innovative ways to address healthcare disparities in the African American community. Students are invited to submit their idea in any modality they choose and to demonstrate how it would promote health and wellness equity for African Americans. Submissions will be accepted until the end of the month.
For more information on Black History Month, programming, and registration, please visit the Woods Hole Diversity Advisory Committee’s website.