The true calling of Black History Month and Women’s History Month

Written by: Jori Mundy, MPA’15

This time of year is always special for me because it provides the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the groundbreaking achievements, undeniable resilience, and uncompromising fortitude of my ancestors and the instrumental individuals who created the many avenues of revolution we experience today.

Their stories remind us that our call is not only to be great, defy the odds, and excel to the highest magnitude as they did; we also must lift and support others as we climb.

When celebrating Black History Month, we should not be limited to simply acknowledging the trailblazing pioneers who forged dominating paths—those giants of history such as Dr. King, Madame C.J. Walker, and Shirley Chisolm, just to name a few, who put public service efforts ahead of their own personal pursuits to change the world and how people experience it. Likewise, when examining the evolution of women in America during Women’s History Month, we should not only highlight the many incredible women who boldly shatter glass ceilings, dominate their careers, and continue to give birth to the next generation of leaders who will carry the baton of progress.

We also must embrace the opportunity to take real-time action that contributes to the continued evolution of building robust legacies, changing generations to come, and leaving our mark on the world. That includes assessing how our own work in public service can apply to the canvas of global change and what we can do to increase that impact.

What rings true for both Black History Month and Women’s History Month is the call to action for all public servants to find a way to support and lift others on our way to groundbreaking and cutting-edge global reform. Throughout the course of my own life, personal pursuits, and achieved successes, all I can see in the woven threads of my ascension is the support and help I received from others. In fact, my close relationships with people who believed in and supported me were the greatest influences in increasing my public service impact.

I’ve had the honor of delivering a TEDx talk on career sponsorship with the help of Kim Webster and Patrice Ford. I wrote a bestselling career elevation book with the help of Clara Spriggs Adams. And I developed an online course to transform professional women into authentic leaders and executives with help from Jason Britton. None of those efforts would have been possible without support from these key individuals.

My question to you is this: who can you lift and support as a fellow public servant to not only help others reach their personal goals and pursuits but to continue to revolutionize, trailblaze, and illuminate the generations to come? It could mean helping a classmate study for an upcoming exam, supporting a new endeavor of a colleague or friend, or offering opportunities as they arise where you see fit. The sky is the limit to the ways in which we can come alongside others to help them rise with us as we delve into our own pursuits as public servants. The key is to continue to be intentional about the disparities that exist and build a bridge to the highest elevation for people of color, women, and others who need our help.

As we recognize the astonishing efforts from iconic individuals of color and women who have taken the bull by the horns to achieve magnificent things, we also must look at the people who surrounded them and contributed to their mass success. That inspiration can help us focus on our pursuits as public servants and serve as an example of the greater impact we can achieve by lifting and supporting others throughout our own journey of service.