HE&R Celebrates Black History Month 2023

This communication was sent to our Hershey Entertainment & Resorts team members to kick off Black History Month across the company. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Today marks the start of Black History Month, a time for us to pause and understand the plight of Black Americans, their role in our country’s history and to celebrate their many accomplishments. Since 1996, our country has declared this a month of reflection, awareness and action, and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts continues its commitment to focus on an inclusive workplace for all. 

This year’s Black History Month theme is “Black Resistance.” According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, this theme demonstrates how “African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms…These efforts have been to advocate for a dignified self-determined life in a just democratic society…” and reminds us that Black Americans “have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all.” 

Unfortunately, the need to focus on this desired outcome continues today.

How can we better understand the history of Black Americans and the current state of discrimination and inequality in our country? To educate ourselves and encourage conversations among each other. Here is a resource guide to help you get started:  

Books: 

• The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story
• How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
• Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

Podcasts: 

• Historically Black by the Washington Post and American Public Media in celebration of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. 
• Code Switch Black History Month by NPR 
• Black History Buff

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to learning about other cultures and races to foster a welcoming environment for all team members and guests. 

MERGE 

Multi-Resource Group for Everyone: A multi-ethnic resource group committed to growing HE&R’s inclusive culture by hosting educational events, fostering compassionate conversations, and championing the development of talented individuals from diverse heritages.