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Honoring and Celebrating Black History Month

A message from our CEO, Ric Estrada, and the leadership of our Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Justice committee

Thank you for taking the time this month to honor and celebrate the stories of African Americans.

For those of us raised in the United States, it was common practice in school to recognize Black History Month in some fashion – either through plays, movies, or artist activities. As we get older, however, it is important we intentionally take time to pause, reflect and celebrate this significant history.

When Black History Month was officially recognized in 1976 by then-President Gerald Ford, he said we need to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” This February, we want to take the opportunity to celebrate the rich history, contributions, and identities of Black people.

As an organization, we are striving to seize those opportunities to honor the Black leaders of today and yesteryear along with the progress of the past. We know that there is much more work to be done to achieve racial equity and Metropolitan is committed to doing our part.

We encourage you to seek out opportunities to celebrate Black History Month through education, supporting Black-owned businesses, and advocating for just causes that disproportionately affect Black Americans.