Black History Month is an annual observance each February to honor the legacy, contributions and historical culture of African Americans; however, educating yourself should not be limited to just February, but every month beyond.

Get started with the resources below!

Local Black Leaders and Organizations

There are many individuals who make a real impact in Cincinnati through mentoring, art, and more.

• Crystal Kendrick- Founder and CEO of The Voice of Your Customer and The Voice of Black Cincinnati website, Crystal was born in Cincinnati and has more than 25 years of marketing experience. Check out the site for activities in Cincinnati, scholarship opportunities and available jobs for Black individuals, and more.
• Tyran Stallings- Graduate of Ohio State, Tyran is an educator, philanthropist, and business owner from Cincinnati. He founded the DAD Initiative, a non-profit focused on the development of Black youth. The organization provides school programs that focus on mentoring, cultural exposure, and 21st century skills in Cincinnati.  
• Ebony Wynn- Teacher and mentor at Dohn Community High School by day, and Media & Marketing CEO and radio personality by night! Our BOLD Employee Resource Group has collaborated with Ebony J., admiring her drive to improve student outcomes. *Shown to the right
• Michael Moore- Founder of Black Achievers Professional Networks, Michael has certainly made his mark in Cincinnati and beyond. At 19, he taught himself how to code and eventually got a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He then founded Black Achievers, which has over 30,000 members nationwide, and wrote two influential books.

National Black Organizations

If you're looking to make an impact or network professionally on a more national level, check out this list of organizations:

• The NAACP stands for the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People. This organization is crucial to driving change and equality. Become a member to stand up for injustices across America.
• The National Association of Black Accountants has over 7,000 members across the country. NABA provides a platform for Black professionals to get engaged and empowered to excel.
• The National Black MBA Association is the largest network of Black professionals! NBMBAA has a Cincinnati, Dayton, and Louisville chapter to join and grow locally, too.
• The Black Data Processors Association focuses more specifically on individuals in the fields of information technology, computer science, and all S.T.E.M. Get involved with the largest Black technology organization to contribute to the future of the IT industry.

altafiber is excited to push ourselves beyond and continue our focus on diversity and inclusion beyond Black History Month. Join us by supporting these individuals and organizations!

If you would like to learn more about BOLD, altafiber's Black employee resource group, visit our site.