Black History Alive: Honoring the Past, Carrying the Torch Forward

March 10, 2026

Long before February arrived, the celebration was already taking shape. At Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, Black History Month is thoughtful and months in the making. 

“The planning phase is very intentional, similar to other celebration months at Mercy Home,” said Training Manager Niaira Marshall. “The DEI team meets to make sure that we follow through with at least six cultural celebrations every year.”

Marshall, along with Kevin Felisme, Joi Basley and Gewanda Monroe, began planning in November. The team met monthly, guided by three words that became the symbol of the February observance: learning, celebrating, and honoring. And thus, a theme, Black History Alive: Honoring Our Past While Carrying the Torch Forward, was created.  

“We thought it was very important that a lot of our youth are aware of where they came from,” Marshall said, “But also the importance of what it means to carry Black history forward in the present day as well.”

The celebration unfolded each week, with every event thoughtfully crafted to reflect the theme.

The month began with a dinner and movie night of “Akeelah and the Bee,” a film that featured primarily Black actors and actresses. It gave the youth an opportunity to see a possible reflection of themselves on the screen.  

A Black History Spirit Week honoring Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Kahoot trivia games followed the next week.  

At our girls home, our Youth Advisory Board hosted a career panel designed to help the young women learn from local professionals. Organized with support from coworkers Tokeisha Everett and Naomi Penny, the event brought together four accomplished women of color from diverse fields: Dr. Tiara Harris, founder of The Well and a Doctor of Physical Therapy; Karissa Brooks Johnson, founder of Karissa’s Cakes and Sweets LLC; Jennifer Gillespie, an educator with Thornton Fractional District 215; and Brigette Norwood, CPA, an accountant with Comprehensive Rehab Consultants.

“We were looking for panelists who were women of color in various fields,” Monroe said. “We wanted to make sure that we had people that encompass different pathways and show the youth that you can have different paths to get to where you want to be.”

Throughout the evening, the young women asked questions about career choices, challenges, setbacks, and role models. Many shared their own fears and uncertainties about the future but received reassurance from women who had once been in their shoes.  

“It showed them that if they were able to do it, they can do it too,” Monroe said.

For Youth Advisory Board member Simone, helping lead the discussion was a point of pride

“Since it’s Black History Month, I’m hoping that this will give not only me, but everyone else a chance to see how other women of color can make it in the world and do great things,” she said.

The month concluded with a celebration at both campuses. The young people enjoyed a catered soul food dinner with a live DJ performance. The tables were decorated in red, black, and green, the colors of the Pan-African flag. At the Girls Campus, clips from “Freedom Summer” were shown during dinner as well.  Youth requested and sang songs, led dances, and encouraged peers and staff to join them.

“That was some of the most engagement that I’ve seen from the youth in a long time,” Marshall said. … “They were so proud of their identities and were able to showcase that to everyone.”

At Mercy Home, it is important for the young people to live in a space that honors and acknowledges each of their identities.  

“Events like this facilitate a lot of that conversation very fluently and safely,” Marshall said.  

“So often when we think of Black history, we think of so many negative impacts. But similarly to a lot of the youth that we work with, they have survived a lot. You come from a lineage and a legacy that is more than trauma. You’ve come from strength, and you’re more than the trauma you’ve had to survive.”