Black History Month:
Bridging the Gap

• Written by Storm White

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Black History Month, a celebration of the valuable contributions and sacrifices African Americans have made throughout U.S. history, is celebrated during the month of February. The acknowledgement of the importance of Black History Month is a crucial step in creating equitable opportunity for African Americans, though there is still much work to be done.

As a Black Woman Owned company, The Phoenix celebrates and recognizes the importance of Black history every month. We intentionally and purposefully embrace diversity internally, while we support our client partners with the design and implementation of deeds and actions that demonstrate their commitments to diversity equity, inclusion and belonging. Companies in the marketing space hold the power to use their platforms to amplify Black stories and help in bridging the opportunity gap, whether it be through promoting or contracting Black-Owned businesses.

In 2022, several recognizable brands had moving campaigns shine a light on their commitments to honor the historical sacrifices African Americans have made. The Target Corporation’s campaign, “Black Beyond Measure” launched concurrently with their initiative to help create more economic opportunities for, and a commitment to spend $2 billion with, Black-owned businesses by 2025. This initiative was implemented to create more equitable opportunities for the Black community.

Another notable brand, AT&T, has run their “Dream in Black” Campaign for its fourth consecutive year in 2022. The programmatic approach has evolved to include several components, from providing visual representation through the creation of artwork and bio pages for the Black Future Makers Alumni Hall, to spotlighting Rising Future Makers from Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) and providing monthly “Future Makers” with an award and associated grant. This campaign has consistently grown over the years and is expected to continue that trend as AT&T shows its support for positive change-makers in the Black community.

Here at The Phoenix, we know that every brand or company can help create space for equal opportunity: whether it be providing scholarships and grants, spotlighting the accomplishments of amazing individuals or working internally to create a more inclusive workplace. We encourage everyone to do their part in creating equitable opportunities for those who have not had historical access, and to work towards a more inclusive world for us all.