Tag Archives: Black History Month

LOVE UNITED! Where it all Begins!

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by Chelsea Nelson

Communications Director

The month of February contains two wonderful themes that are very much in line with LIVING UNITED:  Black History Month, and of course, LOVE!  Both of these themes are layered with acceptance, tolerance, helping those in our community who need it, and inclusion.  As I try to adopt the idea of LIVING UNITED into not only my professional life, but my personal life as well, I am finding more and more that doing this is a daily way of living, an attitude even, and not just a few minutes or hours when you donate or participate in a volunteer program.  It is being a part of a communal united front that focuses on loving those around us–and then taking action.

I recently visited The Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake where they are holding an exhibit entitled “This Light of Ours” for Black History Month. Walking through this exhibit, I was filled with emotion and love for every person who fought so hard to gain freedoms that every human deserves. The exhibit features 156 black and white photos taken by activist photographers during the Civil Rights Movement. Each photo shows the hardship, the emotion, and the determination that was felt by so many people.  And, despite the violence and ignorance that was so present at this time, you could see the love in the eyes of those who were fighting for what they believed in. As I viewed every photo, I kept thinking that this was a group of people who were truly LIVING UNITED and advancing the common good for all of us. I would highly recommend taking an afternoon to visit this exhibit for yourself!

Valentines Day tends to be geared around the romantic love that we have for our significant others–which is a wonderful thing.  However, I encourage everyone to think broader this month (and year round!) and consider how we can each show love for our communities and neighborhoods.  How can we be a part of a united front of change?  I truly believe that the catalyst for change is love–and that LOVING UNITED is the first step to LIVING UNITED.  I encourage everyone to take the next step and give, advocate, or volunteer in any way you can.  Every small contribution helps United Way of Salt Lake to move forward on our mission of building stronger communities and helping children and families find future success–and isn’t that what LOVE is all about?

Black History Month and the “Mother of Civil Rights”

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by Alison Cundiff

Resource Development Executive

Black History month is a time where we as a nation, and as individual communities, celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans in America’s history.  Growing up in school, February was dedicated to learning about slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and various historical figures such as Booker T. Washington, Jackie Robinson, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But there is one is one story that I always loved hearing about and that is the story of Rosa Parks.

Rosa Parks is considered the “mother of the civil rights movement” because of her refusal to give up her seat to a white male on a Montgomery bus in 1955. This action sparked Martin Luther King Jr. to call a boycott on the bus system in Montgomery which lasted for over a year. Eventually, the bus system’s segregation policies were ruled unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. This incident was just the first of many boycotts and protests that would eventually lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and various other acts that guaranteed African American’s equal protection under the law.

To think that the courageous and bold actions of one woman could lead to gaining more freedoms for so may people is inspiring. It can serve as a reminder to each of us to be bold and stand up for what we believe in. Most of us probably won’t ever face arrest or death for standing up for what is right, but the impact of our small daily actions can add up and have a lasting effect on future generations.