Equity and Anti-Racism Task Force

Greetings from the Equity and Anti-Racism Task Force. Please join the Equity and Anti-Racism conversation at Hyde-Addison by emailing hyde.addison@k12.dc.gov and requesting to be added to the Task Force email list maintained by the school, joining us on Konstella, utilizing the resources here, and/or participating in the monthly Task Force virtual meeting at 4pm on the last Friday of every month during the school year. As parents, teachers and staff, we are interested in doing our part to promote equity and end racism in constructive, supportive ways.

At Hyde-Addison, we celebrate Black history throughout the year, but February is a special time to honor the many achievements and contributions of Black Americans. And we’re surrounded by incredible educational resources here in DC. The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is gearing up to celebrate Black History Month with a variety of online and in-person exhibits and events. If your kids ever wanted to know how honey beekeepers make honey, or how rock climbing can take you all over the world, check out the “NMAAHC Kids Learning Together” program. Every Friday the NAAHM will explore one of these careers and many others online with an expert in that field. Families will then have the opportunity to complete one activity. The African American Civil War Memorial and Museum is another great educational resource in our community, with a mission to “correct a great wrong in history which pretty much ignored the heroic role of 209,145 US Colored Troops in ending slavery and keeping America united under one flag.” But you don’t even need to leave your home to learn some fun facts about Black History; check out former DC Attorney General Karl Racine’s 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Black DC History.

Shirley Valerie Horn was born May 1, 1934 in Washington, DC and began piano lessons at the age of 4. By age 12 she was studying classical piano and composition at Howard University. Her jazz career took off in her mid-20s, when she began recording as a backing musician on albums and soon landed a gig as a pianist and vocalist playing intermission sets during Miles Davis’ performances at the Village Vanguard. Ms. Horn went on to record with a who’s who of jazz legends including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis and others. Over a career that spanned more than 40 years, Ms. Horn was nominated for nine Grammy Awards and won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance in 1999. She performed at The White House for several U.S. presidents and was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award in 2005 (the highest honors that the United States bestows upon jazz musicians).

Born to Nigerian immigrant parents on September 21, 1984 in Washington, DC, Olubowale Victor Akintimehin would go on to become a hip hop star under his stage name Wale. He first gained recognition from DC hip hop fans with his 2006 song “Dig Dug (Shake It)” and in 2008 released his debut studio album Attention Deficit on Interscope Records. Over the past 20 years, Wale has gone from local rapper to Grammy nominated superstar who has released 7 albums and recorded with Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams, Bun B, Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and countless other stars. One of Wale’s calling cards is his incorporation of go-go beats and samples into his music, making his brand of hip hop distinctively DC.

Put your little ones to bed, fire up Netflix and watch Rustin. Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama's production company Higher Ground, Rustin tells the true story of Bayard Rustin, the gay civil rights activist who fought through homophobia and other obstacles to organize the 1963 March on Washington, where more than 200,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial and heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. deliver his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The film shines a long overdue light on a national hero who, because of his sexuality and radical class politics, has long been relegated to the shadows of history. Actor Coleman Domingo gives a phenomenal performance in the leading role and has been recognized by an Oscar nomination.

Check out a Children’s Black History Month Book Sale and Boutique on Saturday, February 24, or the Family Funday: Story Time with Black Children's Book Authors on Sunday, February 25. And Hyde Addison teachers have compiled a list of their favorite books to celebrate Black History Month:

Black History Month (February)

National Freedom Day (February 1)

Rosa Parks Day (February 4 in CA, MI & MO, commemorating birthday)

Lailat al Miraj (February 6-7, 2024)

Lunar New Year / Chinese New Year (February 10, 2024)

International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11)

Nirvana Day (February 15)

Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday (February 15)

World Day of Social Justice (February 20)

Women’s History Month (March)

International Women’s Day (March 8)

Ramadan Starts (March 10, 2024)

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (March 25)

Emancipation Day (April 16, 2024)

Disclaimer: The Hyde-Addison ES Equity and Anti-Racism Task Force is an independent group not associated with DCPS and any viewpoints or activities associated with this group are not endorsed by DCPS.