The Dekalb County School District has announced that it plans to hold a "Black Lives Matter" week that will allow educators to focus on positive messages about Black institutions and highlight pertinent social justice issues.
The five-day event is taking place this week and Monday involved focusing on celebrating HBCUs, while Tuesday featured events celebrating Black-owned businesses.
Wednesday included events centered on "My Brother's Keeper," while Thursday and Friday will see students engage in discussions about how Black people have contributed to the United States, according to a press release from the school district.
“DeKalb County School District is a diverse school district and we celebrate that beautiful diversity in every way,” Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris said in a statement to The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
“Black Lives Matter at DeKalb Schools Week of Action 2020 gives our scholars and staff an opportunity to recognize the positive images for our students in our communities while speaking out against racial and social injustices in our communities.”
There will also be panel discussions and other events focusing on the country's history and more.
DeKalb Board of Education member Diijon DaCosta told The Atlanta Journal Constitution that the Black Lives Matter Movement "represents a visual representation of what our ancestors fought for throughout history.”
“Our ancestors fought for justice, freedom, equality, and change, which benefits minorities and people of color. We must continue to build on their legacy by being involved, staying informed, and choosing to let our voices be heard," DaCosta said.
Other schools and universities have sought to honor the Black Lives Matter movement with special days or programs designed to highlight the efforts of Black activists, bring awareness to current issues and reckon with the country's fraught past.
The University of Massachusetts Boston had its first annual Black Lives Matter Day on November 2 via a virtual ceremony. They also asked people to donate to a George Floyd Scholarship Fund.
"Black Lives Matter Day is dedicated to those who have been unjustly harmed and/or killed as a result of police brutality, acts of anti-Black racism, and systemic oppression. On this day, we shall highlight individuals and groups from UMass Boston, the broader Boston community, across the U.S. and the world who have worked as activists within the BLM movement," the event organizers said in a statement.
"On this day at UMass Boston, we seek to provide a comprehensive learning, reflective, and growth experience (virtually and in-person) centered on generating awareness of systemic anti-Black racism and injustice and to promote positive change to redress these issues in society," the statement added.
