February is Black History Month

The month of February is all about celebrating Black History. This Black History Month, we acknowledged individuals and events that have significantly influenced the pillars of our work at Focus: HOPE, including Job Training, Early Learning, and Food for Seniors.

Pioneers A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, played crucial roles in advocating for enhanced labor laws for Black Americans, striving for equal treatment in workplaces. Focus: HOPE has an ability to offer opportunities for students entering the workforce because of their dedicated efforts in promoting equality in labor.

In connection with our Early Learning Program we featured Edmund Gordon, the designer of the first Head Start program. Gordon’s Head Start initiative, was adopted nationwide and is the foundation for current Head Start programs. Edmund Gordon is celebrated for his contributions that have allowed programs like Focus: HOPE to educate and create opportunities for young children.

Regarding the Food for Seniors program, we showcased Shirley Chisholm for her congressional efforts in maintaining government assistance programs like WIC and SNAP, as well as her commitment to combating hunger within the United States. We also spotlighted the 1962 Greenwood Blockade; this event was an organized resistance in Mississippi by Black farmers against an attempt to stop a food program that fed 90% of the state’s Black population. The Greenwood Blockade is widely recognized as the event that introduced the term “Food Justice”.

These spotlights illuminate the foundation of Focus: HOPE, showcasing the impactful work of individuals like Randolph, Rustin, Gordon, and Chisholm, as well as pivotal events that shape our commitment to our work today.

Happy Black History Month!