February 1, 2023

February is Black History Month, an important time to learn and acknowledge the history and contributions of Black Canadians who have played a key role in moving Canada forward. Throughout the month, Medicine Hat College (MHC) and the Students' Association (SAMHC) are joining together to provide education and resources to the campus and community.

“Fostering an environment of diversity and inclusion are values which we strive to achieve every day,” says Kevin Shufflebotham, MHC president and CEO. “It’s encouraging to see our student leaders are playing such a key role in educating each other so we can continue to better our community now, and in the future.”

Following suit with this year’s theme, named by the Association for the Study of African American Life & History, SAMHC will be focusing on the topic of Black Resistance, through the contributions of Black Canadians. The students will use an active social media presence to celebrate historical and present-day Black Canadian academics, as well as influential artists, writers, and directors to reach both students and community.

“Our idea is to showcase not only their advancements to Canadian literature and art, but to also tell the story of their continued resistance through different creative media,” says Kannan Stickel, vice president community of SAMHC.

Stickel adds that to make these educational opportunities accessible to everyone, SAMHC will also be promoting free provincial and North American seminars and resources, as well as a reading list from the Medicine Hat Public Library on social media.

For in-person educational opportunities, SAMHC will be showing a curated list of films at the Medicine Hat campus. There will also be a physical book display, with an accompanying reading list, which visitors to the Vera Bracken Library are welcome to explore.

For more information, follow SAMHC on Facebook or Instagram.