Black History Month is a time to educate, inform, and engage others about the important contributions made by African-Americans in this country. It can also be a great way of bringing residents, staff and community members of all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds together to foster a stronger sense of community.
Across Ingleside’s communities, the month is commemorated with celebratory events, programming, and several opportunities to recognize historical figures, residents, and team members that have made an impact on our organization.
Historical Mindsharing and Storytelling
Storytelling is one of the best ways residents can share information and learn among peers. By sharing one’s knowledge, perspectives, and history of a culture with others, residents can engage in a healthy exchange of empathetic dialogue. For example, a resident who lived through the civil rights era may reflect on historical matters and experiences they recall, and by hearing their story, other residents and community members can go beyond events as portrayed in the history books and understand someone else’s relationship with it.
By facilitating group gatherings and leveraging specific moments like Black History Month for residents and staff members to come together and share their stories, Ingleside can better foster an environment where knowledge sharing is embraced for more stimulating social interactions.
Fostering Connections with Community Speakers
Senior living communities can further elevate the Black History Month experience for residents by inviting a local historian, or community members to share captivating stories and insights related to Black history.
At Ingleside at Rock Creek, the team welcomed local historian and Ingleside at Rock Creek resident Linda White, a retired school librarian and current president of the James Dent Walker Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, as a speaker. The proud native of Washington, DC spent a majority of her time in local communities sorting through the homes of elder family members where she has uncovered precious photos, diaries, letters, and other historical artifacts.
Linda shared her ideologies with residents and Ingleside community members at a recent event hosted in the Cultural Arts Center where she explored the context of African American family history and connected the dots to help audiences understand our shared past. A dedicated volunteer at the National Museum of African American History and Culture since its inception, focusing on the Family History Center, Linda is a historian with a wealth of knowledge who co-authored “Back There Then,” a historical and genealogical memoir with her mother.
Leveraging the Power of Lunch and Learns
At Ingleside’s Westminster at Lake Ridge community, residents participated in a lunch & learn series at the top of every week during the month of February where they watched the video series Great Courses: African American History. The sequence of educational videos covers the comprehensive narrative of the African American experience, including topics like slavery, Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement, and the ongoing struggles for equality in the United States. The Virginia-based community also took the residents on a trip to the Black History Museum.
Honoring Black Culture Through Culinary Dining Programs
At Ingleside at King Farm, the community’s dining staff paid homage to the legendary Chef Edna Lewis with a special Legacy Dinner in celebration of Black History Month. Known as the “Grand Dame of Southern Cooking,” Edna Lewis was a trailblazing chef and author who championed seasonal, farm-to-table Southern cuisine long before it became a trend. Her cookbooks, including The Taste of Country Cooking, preserved authentic Southern recipes and traditions, influencing generations of chefs.
The community’s Executive Chef Robbina Osei-Owusu and Sous Chef Santos Villatoro brought historic flavors to life through dishes inspired by Chef Edna Lewis’ iconic recipes, paying tribute to her enduring legacy and impact on American culinary history.
Ingleside is committed to embracing a diverse environment where the rich heritage and invaluable contributions of Black Americans are honored through a series of inspiring events and activities. By hosting such engaging programming across our communities all month long, our communities continue to foster a culture of inclusion that supports diversity and strives to help each member of our family thrive and lead a happy, fulfilling life.
For more information on Ingleside’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, visit our website.