Celebrating Black History Month
During the month of February, Black History Month, we celebrate achievements by African Americans and recognize their central role in U.S. history. See below more information about Black History Month and recognition opportunities and hear from several Heaven Hill employees about Black individuals who have influenced them in their careers.
2022 Theme: Black Health and Wellness
The Black History Month 2022 theme, “Black Health and Wellness,” explores “the legacy of Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, as well as birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etc. throughout the African Diaspora. The 2022 theme considers activities, rituals and initiatives that Black communities have done to be well.
Learn more about the 2022 theme here and explore books on Black health and wellness here.
History of Black History Month
Ways to Recognize Black History Month
Nonfiction
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments by Saidiya Hartman
The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race, an anthology edited by Jesmyn Ward
Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine
Fiction
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
Serve in your community. Volunteering with local nonprofits and charities is an excellent way to become engaged with the mission of Black History Month.
Some national organizations supporting and uplifting Black communities are Black Girls CODE, National Society of Black Engineers, and My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. Look for organizations that are doing good near you, and give your time.
Pool your resources, or arrange a fundraiser to support important causes. Some to consider are The Sentencing Project, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and the NAACP Defense and Educational Fund.
You can also support Historically-Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) directly or through a scholarship fund or mentorship opportunities.
Discover more resources and learn about more opportunities for observing Black History Month here.
Who Has Influenced and Inspired You in Your Career?
As part of our celebration of Black History Month, we asked employees to tell us about a Black person who has influenced, inspired or mentored them in their careers.
Holli Koster, Assistant Communications Manager
“When I was part of my high school newspaper in Houston, Texas, our first-ever visit to see a professional newsroom in action was KPRC, the local NBC affiliate. Two of the anchors there, Linda Lorelle and Dominique Sachshe, led the tour and basically walked us through the process of prepping for a live broadcast, which we also had an opportunity to watch. As someone who was just sort of just feeling out journalism as a possible career, I was immediately inspired by Linda and her passion both for her city and for local news and followed her career for many years, as I began college to study and pursue journalism as a career. Today she owns her own multimedia and communications consulting firm and continues to inspire and help young people, with a scholarship fund dedicated to Houston high school students.”
Courtney Reun, Director, Talent Acquisition & Diversity
“Maya Angelou’s famous quote ‘If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude’ has always resonated with me throughout my career. As a leader, it’s important to inspire and build pathways for change while also understanding what is outside your sphere of influence. I have learned you cannot control the world around you, but you can control how you show up in it.”
Mikella Fields, Corporate Attorney
“I would not be a lawyer without the influence and support of Jennifer Green, Vice President, Global Mergers & Acquisitions at Yum! Brands. She would probably tell me never to say that, however when I met her I was convinced I would be a one and done law student and was highly considering dropping out of law school. I was literally in school with nothing but hope and had no money or support on my journey. Then I met Jennifer. She’s brilliant, embodies strength and intelligence, but to me she was an angel because she saved my career. I was just hoping that someone would finally give me a chance. I had tons of experience and talent, but I didn’t meet most of the criteria for the opportunities I was seeking. On the day I met her we had a very informal lunch. I had no clue what to expect or what I was walking into, but I knew I was having a fight or flight moment. After many rejections and failed attempts to find a summer position as a first-year law school student, I was kind of at the ‘I give up’ stage. I don’t quite remember what I said or what I did but I remember her telling me that I was bold to email the Corporate Counsel of a huge company. Somehow, I ended up as an intern at Yum! Brands, and somehow, I found a great mentor in the process. I don’t know that many black female lawyers, and I definitely don’t know anyone like Jennifer. She was so willing to go against the grain, help me, and give me a chance when no one else would. My internship turned out to be a lot more than I expected and I think I was in shock for the most part to be there. She doesn’t know it, but I was definitely having fan girl moments in my head every day – everything I aspire to be, Jennifer is. I don’t quite know what she saw in me at that moment, but Jennifer uplifted me, taught me so much personally and professionally, told it to me straight every day, and taught me to be more confident and to stop being so quiet. She showed me that I could do anything. In one summer, she taught me I was capable, intelligent, and I was meant to be a lawyer. Her guidance helped shape my career. I often think about what she taught me when I’m having an imposter syndrome moment. Because of her, I learned that I was doing the right thing and it wasn’t impossible for a girl like me. It’s an experience that will forever hold a place in my heart. I made it through law school and to a lot more places because of her. Thanks to Jennifer for giving me a chance.”
Josh Hafer, Director, Corporate Communications and Community Affairs
“In 2018, I was promoted to lead our nascent community affairs efforts. The principle role was to begin to formalize our philanthropic giving and start to understand Heaven Hill’s impact in the communities in which we live and work. This included inheriting relationships that our previous community affairs leader, Larry Kass, engendered throughout Louisville and Central Kentucky. One relationship stood out and helped establish one of the core values of our corporate citizenship effort; to be a good neighbor. Rev. Charles Elliott took over the King Soloman Missionary Baptist Church in 1961. Born into a family of sharecroppers, he grew up in Wheeler, Alabama and was exposed to the cruel inequalities of the heavily segregated town. It was in his adolescence that he committed himself to changing the realities of segregation, but that mission would not be realized until many years later. After he sought work in Louisville where his uncle lived, he moved his family and settled in amid rising racial tension in the city. As a deacon at Bethel Baptist Church, he felt the calling to preach and lead a congregation.
The simmering racial tensions throughout the south drew Rev. Elliott back to Alabama to join the march from Selma to Montgomery. From there, he drew on the inspiration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to be a guiding voice in racial equality. Shortly before his assassination, King joined Elliott in a march in Louisville. He told the story in the Louisville Courier-Journal of an incident that inspired him during that protest,
This boy about 12 or 13 took a rock and hit Dr. King in the jaw. Dr. King bent down and got that rock and held it in front of them and began talking about love and what he was going to build on that rock.
That statement, Elliot said, emphasized what Jesus said, ‘If I be lifted up, I’ll draw all men unto me.’ That’s what Dr. King would do.
From that point forward, Rev. Elliott was committed to his people, his neighborhood and his God. He invites all people to his Thanksgiving table. And as his neighbor in the California neighborhood where the Bernheim Distillery resides, he has reached out to us with an open heart to speak about the role of being a good neighbor. To support and welcome the people around you, to understand their motivations and to be of service to that community are the principles that made him the influential force that he remains today. Our community affairs efforts across all of our communities reflect that commitment.”
