Hey y'all!

In February, DEV observes Black History Month, celebrating the contributions of the Black community to our history and honoring the lives harmed by the historical and systematic injustice and oppression of the African diaspora.

This global celebration sheds light on the ongoing struggles, aiming for increased awareness, education, and support for Black communities worldwide. The ASALH introduces a new theme each year, fostering meaningful reflections on Black history.

2024's ASALH Theme

This year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) focuses on the vibrant history and life of African American arts and artisans.

From the ASALH statement for 2024:

In celebrating the entire history of African Americans and the arts, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) puts into the national spotlight the richness of the past and present with an eye towards what the rest of the twenty-first century will bring.

To learn more about the theme you can download a printable PDF from their website.

This month and continuously, let's recognize and uplift organizations dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of Black individuals.

Note: We uploaded a list last year with organizations making a difference in 2023, specifically related to supporting the Black community in tech, and have slightly altered the list for your use this year. As always, if you have any additional organizations you want folks to support, drop them below!

🌟 Organizations Making a Difference:

Baddies in Tech:
"Creating safe spaces for women of color in tech to belong [and] building for the women of color who are 'the only' in their work environment, the ambitious black girl who lacks career role models and mentors, and the female executives who want to make the path to leadership easier for those coming up behind them."
https://www.baddiesintech.com/about

Black Girls Code: "With your support, Black Girls CODE hopes to broaden our impact by diversifying our curriculum, supporting our alumnae into adulthood, and changing the narrative of Black women in tech." https://wearebgc.org/donate/

NAACP: "[NAACP's] mission in the 21st century is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination" https://naacp.org/

Trans Women of Color Collective (TWOCC): "Uplifting the narratives, leadership, and lived experiences of trans people of color, while building towards the collective liberation of all oppressed people." https://www.twocc.us/

National Black Women's Justice Institute (NBWJI): "We research, elevate, and educate the public about innovative, community-led solutions to address the criminalization of Black women and girls. We aim to dismantle the racist and patriarchal U.S. criminal-legal system and build, in its place, pathways to opportunity and healing. We envision a society that respects, values, and honors the humanity of Black women and girls, takes accountability for the harm it has inflicted, and recognizes that real justice is healing." https://www.nbwji.org/

National Black Child Development Initiative (NBCDI): "For more than 50 years, the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) has been committed to our mission to improve and advance the quality of life for Black children and families through education and advocacy." https://www.nbcdi.org/

NAACP Legal Defense Fund: "The Legal Defense Fund is America's premier legal organization fighting for racial justice." https://www.naacpldf.org/

Thurgood Marshall College Fund: "The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is an American non-profit organization that supports and represents nearly 300,000 students attending its 47 member-schools that include public historically black colleges and universities, medical schools, and law schools." https://www.tmcf.org/

The Sentencing Project: "The Sentencing Project is a Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy center working for de-carceration in the United States and seeking to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system." https://www.sentencingproject.org/

Know Your Rights Camp: "Our mission is to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass mobilization, and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders." https://www.knowyourrightscamp.org/

📣 Community Shoutout:

Know another Black-led organization making a difference in the arts? Share a link in the comments and join us in supporting these impactful initiatives! ❤️

Follow the DEVteam for more discussions and opportunities to make a positive impact! 🚀

The DEV Team Follow

The team behind this very platform. 😄

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