 February is Black History Month, a time to honor and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Americans throughout history. But for BUILD, a group of Black state employees in Washington, the celebration does not end there. The theme for Black History Month 2024 is “African Americans and the Arts”. It celebrates the diverse and influential contributions of Black Americans to various forms of artistic and cultural expression, such as music, literature, visual arts, dance, and more. It also recognizes how Black artists have used their crafts to resist oppression, speak truth to power, and inspire a nation. You can learn more about this theme and the events and resources related to it from the Smithsonian Institution and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). BUILD stands for Blacks United In Leadership and Diversity, and their mission is to empower Black state employees to thrive in their careers, advance to leadership roles, express their unique viewpoints, and support each other along the way.
In this blog post, we will share with you how BUILD is working to transform the state’s culture and give recognition and voice to current employees while advocating for policies that foster diversity, inclusion and respect in the workplace. We will also highlight some of the events and activities that BUILD is organizing or participating in for Black History Month and beyond. Who We Are and What We Do BUILD was founded in 2017 by a group of Black state employees who felt the need to create a space where they could connect, network, mentor, and advocate for each other. Since then, BUILD has grown to over 300 members from various state agencies, boards, and commissions. BUILD is open to all state employees who identify as Black or African American, or who support the mission and vision of the group. BUILD’s vision is to transform the state’s culture and give recognition and voice to current employees while advocating for policies that foster diversity, inclusion and respect in the workplace. To achieve this vision, BUILD has four strategic goals:
How We Celebrate Black History Month and Beyond As part of our mission to create a supportive and inclusive community for Black state employees, BUILD organizes, participates, and shares various events and activities throughout the year, especially during Black History Month. Some of the events and activities that we have planned or joined for this year include:
How You Can Join Us and Learn More If you are a state employee who identifies as Black or African American, or who supports the mission and vision of BUILD, we invite you to join us and become a member of our group. As a member, you will have access to our newsletters, events, resources, mentorship program, and online community. You will also have the opportunity to network with other members, share your ideas and feedback, and participate in our advocacy efforts. To join us, simply fill out this online form and we will get in touch with you soon. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on our latest news and activities. If you want to learn more about BUILD, you can visit our website at www.buildwa.org, where you can find our mission, vision, values, goals, board members, partners, and more. You can also contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions or comments. We hope you enjoyed reading this blog post and learned something new about BUILD and how we are celebrating Black History Month and beyond. We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at our upcoming events and activities. Thank you for your support and interest in BUILD. Together, we can make a difference. Comments are closed.
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