SKILLR Celebrates Black History Month
Here at SKILLR, we’ve been having conversations about this year’s Black History Month theme of Black Health and Wellness and highlighting the expertise of some of the experts on the app. Get a peek into some of our convos by reading through the quotes of a few of our awesome Black Skillrs and staff members. They discuss how they’ll be celebrating Black History Month, what this year’s theme means to them, how skill-sharing impacts the community and their experiences being Black in tech.
“Technology dominates so many aspects of our daily lives and will continue to do so. Therefore, we, as a community, must ensure our voices are included and valued in this space. For me, diversity in technology is about bringing all perspectives together in unity to improve the world for everyone.” - Webster Ross III, SKILLR Chief Technology Officer
“I’m celebrating this Black History Month in an unapologetic way. I’m learning more about my culture and diving deep into my history. I’m keeping my hair natural and continuing to wear African-influenced hairstyles regardless of any job interviews or school presentations. I choose to be my authentic self, no more throwing on a wig because my natural hair is not ‘professional’ enough. No more toning down my Blackness because society can’t handle it. I’m Black and proud.”- Jessica Mayfield, Makeup Artist, @iconicbeautybyjess
“I celebrate by walking out a part of the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that many people often forget: ‘The sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.’ The easiest table to make that happen for me is the dinner table.”- Reginald Beck, Culinary Instructor and Former Bakery Owner, @fearlessbread
“This year, I’m celebrating Black History Month by exploring traditional Black American cuisine. I recently got Toni Tipton-Martin’s cookbook ‘Jubilee: Recipes From Two Centuries of African American Cooking’ because I wanted to learn more about the history of many of our favorite meals and how to make them myself. So far, I’ve been having a lot of fun with the biscuit recipes and my husband has been pretty obsessed with the fried chicken variations in the book. I'm focusing on Black joy this month and food is such a big part of that for me." - Alexa Goins, SKILLR Content Marketing Manager
“There’s nothing like sharing your expertise and passion with others. When we do that, the world becomes a better place. The keyword here is sharing. Sharing is caring, which our community needs to become powerful. I feel together we are stronger.”- Trina Lyons, Dance Instructor, @mastahtee
“What came to mind for me [when thinking about the BHM 2022 theme] was Cheslie Kryst, who jumped from her balcony in NYC, and how even someone who seems to have it all felt like the only option was to commit suicide. [It makes me think about] the suicide rates, especially among black youth, the effects of social media and why it's important to unplug. Even over TikTok the past month a lot of creators, especially Black creatives, have talked about the mental effects that come with the followers and people watching your whole life. I'm also glad that we are pushing to really reduce the stigma when it comes to talking about therapy, depression, anxiety and the need to feel strong all the time.” - Mariama Hutson, SKILLR Social Media and Influencer Manager
“My favorite part [of sharing my skills] is the creativity. When I started my career as a professional makeup artist I didn't know what to expect. Makeup is like an art canvas to me and I get to use every part of my body to indulge in my craft. Growing up, I wasn't as confident as I am now so being able to embody the growth I've experienced and teach others how to be unapologetically themselves as well as creative is amazing to me. I'm here to inspire the world, show them what true talent shows when you pull it out from within.” - Takeya Glenn, Makeup Artist, @takeyataliyah
“Skill-sharing can help the community by [connecting] those who don't have access with people who can share their skills. Also, it helps people learn skills at the power of their fingertips. My favorite part about sharing my expertise with others would be opening their horizons and [helping them] see things past their comfort zones.”- Jeremy Jimenez, Stylist, @styledbyjerm
