Diversity is one of the most important aspects of community service. It allows for different people from all walks of life and cultures to come together and share their experiences and knowledge. This can lead to a better understanding of different cultures in our community and within our organization.

February, is dedicated to celebrating and learning about people of African descent. This month is Black History Month. Black History Month began in 1926. It was created by Carter G. Woodson and was first celebrated on Feb. 1, 1926. The purpose of this month is to highlight and share the historical triumphs and struggles that African-Americans went through in order to make a difference in society as we know it today. This month also allows for people to explore other cultures and take part in community service events that can help better our community Originally it only included contributions from African Americans but eventually expanded to include other people of African descent around the world. This month has been popularized to include all people of African descent in history whether they were American, Caribbean or Canadians.

It is a month where we can learn about important figures in history such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Canadians such as Rosemary Brown. It also allows us to learn about events like the Middle Passage and Slavery, where Africans were captured and forced to go to the new world. Black History Month is a good time to reflect on diversity and learn about important contributions that people of African descent have made to the world.

In recent years I have had the good fortune to employ people from a number of African nations such as Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania amongst others. During Black History month I want to recognize the contribution that our African colleagues have made to Abilities and the lives of the people that we serve. I am looking forward to beginning the year by having my colleagues share with me examples of the history that they are proud to be part of.