Despite hailing from South Sudan, Grade 12 student, Ladi Bil, didn't know much about Black History Month until she entered middle school. Now, as she prepares to graduate high school, she aims to provide information about the month to other students.--NEWS PHOTO KENDALL KING
kking@medicinehatnews.com
Grade 12 student Ladi Bil is making Black History Month known in Medicine Hat High School and throughout the city’s public school division by offering presentations about notable black Canadians and encouraging discussions about the various black cultures which exist around the world.
Bil, a member of MHHS’s student council, decided to organize educational events throughout the month to fill a void she believe exists in Canada’s education system.
“There’s really not much about black history in school curriculum,” Bil told the News. “A lot of people don’t know what Black History Month is, or what it’s about. I didn’t even really know what it was or that it was federally recognized in Canada until middle school.”
Bil, with the help of other black students and a few teachers, created and organized several virtual classroom presentations. The presentation topics vary, with the first focusing on the origins of Black History Month, and the second highlighting notable black Canadians. The presentations also include insight from Bil and her friends regarding their experiences of being black.
“I want all our black voices to be amplified, and it’s better when you’re hearing about something, you want to hear from the person and their experience first-hand, which my friend group can kind of give,” she said.
Bil expected a few classes to participate, but was surprised by the virtual turnout.
“I got a lot more than I initially expected, in all honesty,” said Bil. “I really thought it was going to be three classes including my own, (but) a total of 16 classes had joined, including my own. I heard some staff had joined as well from their offices.”
Beyond the virtual classroom presentations, Bil also arranged for black students at MHHS to wear clothing belonging to their ethnic group, something she believes would be of interest for those unfamiliar with the garbs. Later in the month, all MHPSD students are invited to show support for Black History Month by wearing black clothing in what Bil calls a ‘black-out.’
Bil hopes the events spark student engagement and interest in black history and cultures.
“For me personally, to learn history, you also have to understand it thoroughly,” she said. “I feel like when we learn social studies, the whole point of social studies is so we are better than who came before us. I feel like, even with our generation and the generation coming after us, if they’re educated, people will understand the significance that black contributions have made which shaped Canada’s heritage and history, (and) the world’s.”
