Across the state of California, PATH’s staff of all backgrounds and identities are working to end homelessness. This month we are elevating the voices and experiences of several of our PATH staff members in recognition of Black History Month. Throughout the month, we have been sharing resources, supporting Black-owned businesses, highlighting Black elected officials working to reduce homelessness, and raising the voices of our staff who have dedicated their work to ending homelessness.
PATH’s staff are on the front lines every day, working to connect people to services, employment, benefits, and ultimately, housing. Each person’s episode of homelessness is as unique as they are and so are our team members. Get to know a few of our PATH staff that engaged in a series of questions about their backgrounds, heroes, and ways they honor Black History Month.
What Black hero has impacted your life?
I have had many Black heroes in my life. My first Black hero was Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel to space. She was in all my history books, as a young Black girl growing up she showed me that we could be anything I dreamt of being. I also admire my cousin, Antanika Barnes—she showed me that it is okay to be different, to not give into stereotypes, and most of all, follow your dreams. I know that seeing her pursue her education, her career, and her dreams showed me what it meant to persevere against all odds. She has always been her authentic self and made sure I knew that following my dreams would be hard, but it would be worth it. She was right.
What are one or two things that give you pride within Black culture?
What gives me pride is that we are family. There is a togetherness that we have as a culture. I know when I see one of my brothers or sisters, that there is an authentic love there. Another thing that gives me pride in my culture is the power we hold as a people. We influence fashion, media, technology, art, and everything under the sun just by being who we are and being true to ourselves.
What Black hero has impacted your life? 
James Baldwin helped me understand society through his texts which preached understanding instead of hate. Tyler Perry is also an inspiration as a writer.
What are one or two things that give you pride within Black culture?
Most Black people come from a family who were released from slavery without any resources or money and told to “exist.” Then they had to survive brutality alongside poverty. When I hear others stating the history of their family wealth, ours is the history of our family’s poverty. Racism deterred reparations and then Blacks were criminalized for being impoverished.
When “The Birth of a Nation” was released in 1915, it made every Black man out to be a monster. Therefore, when I see any Black person who achieved success, it is mind-boggling that the majority built something from nothing. This in itself, gives me pride. Blacks were cut off from Africa and built in America. We couldn’t cross the border in search of a new opportunity, we couldn’t bring whatever money we had as refugees, we couldn’t even get an education. Everywhere we go, our skin is a greeting card. Some people will always hate us. Some people will “play the game” and hide racism behind systems set in place to marginalize our community. Others still deny, want to hide our brutal history, or minimize our experience. The fact that we have endured is what gives me pride in our culture. That and the allies that have risen to help champion our cause for equality and inclusion.
What Black hero has impacted your life?
My Mother, Ida B. Wells, Harriett Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Angela Davis, and Rosa Parks.
What are one or two things that give you pride within Black culture?
Although the “Black Culture” is still a mystery, there are a few things that give me West African cultural pride. Our resilience is number one because our race has been through many things, perpetuated and stereotyped. During post Reconstruction Era we were able to become doctors, teachers, farmers markets and build schools within ten to fifteen years of freedom. Secondly, our uniqueness and strength have made us who we are today.
This year’s National Black History Month theme is health and wellness; how do you practice health and wellness in your own professional and personal life?
I practice health and wellness by eating healthy, consuming water, meditating, protecting my energy, and replenishing myself with daily affirmations.
How do you practice health and wellness in your own professional and personal life?
Running has been my platform to connect with people in the community. Health and Wellness is very important to me now, but hasn’t always been. It took me failing Navy weigh in to get me into the route that I’m in now. My running journey began about nine years ago and I’ve been sharing that on social media through my blog, LiveRunBoundless. I use this platform to share my life and my journey to the world; I also share other people’s stories in the running community in San Diego.
Check out my other channels at:
YouTube: LiveRunBoundless
Instagram: Live_Run_Boundless
What are one or two things that give you pride within Black culture?
What gives me pride is that we are the blueprint. Black is original, authentic, strong, and influential. We deserve the recognition for all that we establish and create for humankind. Another thing that gives me pride within my African culture is that we take pride in our food, family, education, and love for our African people. We always want to see personal, professional, financial, and spiritual growth within our community. We just want to spread love and hold space without judgement.
What type of Black history traditions do people practice?
The type of Black History traditions that I, personally, practice would be to always support Black businesses (even outside of the month of February, doing this year-round). I do this by attending flea markets, Indie events, reposting/sharing Black businesses on all my social media platforms, purchasing items from Black businesses, and showing my love and appreciation for spaces curated for us. Research and knowledge play a pivotal role as well as some folks are not familiar with Black history and knowing where they come from. I love that my family has educated and embedded Benin (West African) and Black American culture within me. These traditions have contributed to the African woman I am today!
This year’s National Black History Month theme is health and wellness; how do you practice health and wellness in your own professional and personal life?
I practice health and wellness at work by acknowledging when it’s time to take a break and disconnect, not just physically, but mentally as well. In my personal life, I love hiking for a mix of physical and mental self-care.
What type of Black history traditions do people practice?
My favorite tradition is the celebration of Juneteenth. I started celebrating Juneteenth about five years ago with my four beautiful children. It started off by just educating them about the history of Juneteenth, how far Black rights and equality have come, and how far we still have to go. Every year we do a little bit more and I hope that one day that it’s just as important as the 4th of July to them. 
What Black hero has impacted your life?
Being a man of the mass media, I look to the legacy of the origins of Black Hollywood. Heroes such as Sidney Poitier and Josephine Baker were ahead of their time and represented “us” during eras when modern society and the history that proceeded it didn’t want such luminaries present. Their contributions not only broke ground in their respective fields but in the world at large. The examples they rendered not only carnalized excellence in human form but showcased an abundance of grace and adroitness that was tantamount to their industry peers. I am one of the legatees that benefit from their legacy every time I set foot on a Hollywood set. I am so honored I’m able to walk the organic path they laid for “our” ascension.
What are one or two things that give you pride within Black culture?
- I love that historically we are the creators and navigators that lead culture right where we stand, no matter what region we are at the forefront of what drives the culture and society’s pulse.
- That Biotic Black Exuberance that can’t be taught or trained. The energy that draws everything in its local hemisphere to glaze upon its radiant beauty and expression.
