Honoring Black History: Insider Interviews with Rochester's Movers and Shakers
Black History Month is a time to reflect on the past and look to the future with hope. In Rochester, a city rich in diversity and tenacity, we commemorate by learning from prominent locals who promote understanding and change in our community. In this blog, three distinguished "movers and shakers'' discuss Black History Month (BHM) in its essence and the historical personalities that inspire them.
Dr. Ashley Campbell, Chief Impact Officer for the Office of Community Impact, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes, emphasizes the collective spirit of people of African descent, viewing BHM as a time to honor shared history and individual potential. She is inspired by monumental figures such as Mansa Musa and Queen Nzinga, as well as the collective fortitude that emerged from the Trans-Atlantic Enslavement Period. Campbell believes that, "We are our ancestors' wildest dreams," emphasizing the power entrenched in our history.
Dr. Myra Henry, President & Chief Executive Officer of the YWCA of Rochester & Monroe County says, “So many of our ancestors are critical to history. Especially the unnamed and the unsung, who lived through intolerable treatment and soldiered on in hope for a better future.” She holds Dorothy Height in high regard as a trailblazing civil rights activist and supporter of racial justice. Attributing to her ability to unite people and spearhead the YWCA's One Imperative campaign against racism.
Jackie McGriff, founder of Jackie Photography, admires several Black history icons such as Harriet Tubman, Lorraine Hansberry, Fred Hampton, Diane Nash, Angela Davis, Gordon Parks, and Misan Harriman. “It’s so hard to just nominate one,” McGriff said in the interview. However, she has a special affinity for the work of Harriet Tubman. McGriff admires Tubman's spirit - she was under a tremendous amount of pressure and terror, and despite it all, she continued to hold on to what she believed in.
As Rochester celebrates Black History Month, these local heroes remind us of the profound legacy of historical figures.
