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This month's reboot is a little different and a lot shorter. That's because it started life as the second episode of SARN Minis (of which there are now more than 80). But since we're in Black History Month in the US, and since my feelings about it haven't changed that much, it seemed a good time to bring this one to a wider audience. Here's a slightly edited version, with some additional thoughts:
I just wanted to share a few thoughts as Black History Month in the US gets underway. First of all, Black history is history. So it's not something that should be celebrated in one particular month of the year. What tends to happen is that in the US, there's an excess of Black speakers and focus on Black history and culture in February. And the same thing happens in October in the UK, and the rest of the year, it's hard to get visibility. Stop it! You need to be focusing on this all year round. Black history is history. [2026 update: yes, I still feel the same way about this. Now more than ever, it's clear that anti-racism needs to be a lifestyle and ongoing focus, not just flavour of the month.]
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Second, when you're thinking about getting people in to speak at your Black History Month events, book them early. It is disrespectful to book people at the last minute, like some sort of afterthought. And remember that when you are getting people in to speak to their expertise, you need to pay them appropriately. You're a couple centuries too late to expect free labour from Black people. [2026 update: and yet, people keep trying it. But as my sister Lisa Hurley says, free is cancelled.]
Please remember that Black speakers don't just speak about racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion and oppression. We speak about all kinds of topics, digital marketing, social media, NFTs, technology, education, wellbeing, you name it. So consider hiring Black speakers all through the year to speak about all the topics. [2026 update: for example, though I speak about many aspects of racism and anti-racism, I also speak about introversion, self-publishing and newsletter creation.]
And my final thought on this is we are in 2022 [make that 2026]. And so it's way past time to be done with all-white speaker panels, or to have only people racialised as white talking about diversity, equity and inclusion. There's something to be said for the lived experience of being Black in a white majority space. That adds a different nuance and flavour to any of these trainings.
So please, also look for Black experts in these areas, look for people who face isms when you're talking about a particular situation. At the very least mix up your panels and ensure that we're getting a range of perspectives on any situation. So that those are my thoughts as we start Black History Month in the US. I may share these thoughts again when we get to Black History month in October in the UK. Remember, Black history is history and pay your Black speakers well. Thanks for listening. [2026 update: there's even less excuse now, and those who really care about change have a responsibility to do what they can.]
How did this land with you?
Thanks for reading,
Sharon
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Sharon Hurley Hall is an anti-racism educator, author of I’m Tired of Racism, and founder of the SHHARE anti-racism community and of Sharon’s Anti-Racism Newsletter, which provides tools and lived experiences to fuel systemic change. A seasoned professional writer and journalist, she leverages over 30 years of experience to mentor introverted leaders, and is co-founder and co-host of the Introvert Sisters Podcast. Her recent work focuses on helping Black and Global Majority women achieve high-impact visibility and professional influence without the exhaustion of performing extroversion.
© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2026. All Rights Reserved. This newsletter is published on beehiiv (affiliate link).