First launched in 1915 by historian Carter G. Woodson, Black History Month was created to celebrate the achievements of Black individuals and scholars. In the decades since it began, Black History Month has continued to serve as an opportunity to salute Black communities—a chance to pause, reflect, and more closely familiarise ourselves with the stories of Black leaders.
At Index Exchange, we celebrated through a number of workplace inclusivity initiatives, events, and channels. Index Black (an internal affinity group committed to empowering Black Indexers) launched weekly playlists featuring Black musicians and highlighted prominent Black figures across Index’s social channels. Members of fellow affinity groups like Index Women’s Network and Pride at Index wrote articles around the power of intersectionality. And, in an incredibly powerful training session, Index welcomed Professor Dean Delpeache for a virtual conversation about anti-Black racism.
Dean Delpeache’s Tips for Practicing Anti-Racism
1. Educate yourself
2. Actively listen
3. Sit in discomfort
After discussing the impact and reverberating effects of recent acts of racial injustice, Delpeache dove into the steps and actions we can all be taking to become better allies to the Black community, from “‘educating oneself about oppression” to “examining and challenging one’s own prejudices, stereotypes, and assumptions.” To borrow a few Indexers’ words, the session left us feeling more “informed,” “empowered,” “inspired,” and “humbled” as an organisation and as individuals.
At Index, we believe in supporting each other and celebrating Black voices—as well as those of Indigenous individuals and people of colour—year-round. We’re committed to continue educating ourselves and uplift our BIPOC peers and partners, and we invite you to do the same.
