We’ve Been Here Before: What Black Trailblazers Teach Us About Resilience in 2025
We made it through January, y’all. Whew... what a year it's been (ha!)
Bee-tee-dubs—Happy Black History Month!
With everything that's happening (you know what I mean, so don't even ask), this year feels a lot different. I won’t sugarcoat it—it feels heavy. The constant back-and-forth with policies that affect our rights, our safety, our futures—it’s exhausting. And it’s not lost on me that we’re walking into Black History Month with a heightened sense of uncertainty.
But if history has taught us anything, it’s this: we’ve been here before, and we know how to push through.
This year, we’ll undoubtedly talk about Black trailblazers in history (like we do every year)—how they navigated the past and got us to this point. But honestly? Their struggles weren’t so different from what we’re facing now. They built, fought, and excelled under systems that weren’t designed for them to succeed. And right now, as the political climate has shifted, it’s easy to feel like we’re slipping backward.
So how do we honor the trailblazers when we’re still fighting some of the same battles?
By taking their lessons and applying them to this moment—turning history into fuel for the fight ahead.
Lessons in Resilience from Black Trailblazers
James Baldwin didn’t wait for the world to change before he spoke his truth. He wrote, resisted, and challenged power when it was dangerous to do so. His voice made people uncomfortable, but that discomfort led to change.
Jackie Robinson knew that simply existing in certain spaces was an act of defiance. He played through the hate because he understood that his presence alone was a statement—one that forced the world to acknowledge his greatness.
Angela Davis never let fear keep her from fighting. She knew silence was never an option. She stood firm in her convictions, even when the cost was high.
We can do the same. We can take the weight of this moment and turn it into something—action, advocacy, support for each other, and, most of all, resilience.
More Than Celebration—Carrying the Legacy Forward
We’re not just celebrating achievements—we’re carrying the legacy forward. We’re taking lessons from those before us and applying them to the challenges we face now.
And if you’re feeling tired, I get it. Rest is part of resistance, too. But when you’re ready, remember:
Our history is proof that we don’t back down.
Our resilience is the reason we’re still here.
Our future is still ours to shape.
So whether it’s in your career, your community, or just the way you hold space for yourself and others—keep going. Because just like those before us, we know how to survive, adapt, and win—even when the odds are against us.
This Black History Month, I’m choosing to acknowledge the exhaustion, but not be consumed by it. To sit in the frustration, but still move forward. To honor those who came before us by making sure their fight wasn’t in vain.
’Cause wah fi mi, cyaan un fi mi.
~ Meisha
