Each February, the nation and the American Red Cross celebrate Black History Month. All this month here on the Red Cross Philly blog we honor our Black colleagues that are part of our local Red Cross team. We invited them to be guest bloggers to share their thoughts and stories as proud Red Crossers that make up our diverse team here in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Please note, the views expressed in this blog post are of the author and not necessarily those of the American Red Cross. To learn more about Diversity and Inclusion values at the Red Cross, please visit https://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/governance/corporate-diversity.html.

Today’s blog is written by Oumar Toure, American Red Cross Volunteer.

I moved to the U.S. when I was 17 years old as a bright-eyed college freshman. Up to that point, I had lived in Ivory Coast – a country in West Africa. Compared to my homeland, America is a lot more diverse; within a few weeks I made friends with students from Japan, Colombia, Turkey, Norway, and all over the U.S. – just to name a few places.

However, once I stepped outside of my freshman orientation course, I eventually opened my eyes to the fact that despite its diversity, America is still very segregated. Indeed, a legacy of Jim Crow laws is the fact that the various neighborhoods within major American cities are clearly segregated along racial lines.

The result is a lack of interaction between different racial groups which can lead to fear or discomfort around the unknown. On several occasions I felt that people were uneased around me before they knew anything about me except for the fact that I’m black.

Black History Month to me represents a moment where those barriers are taken down, and people step outside of their comfort zone to learn about and appreciate Black culture through conversations, festivals, arts, etc.

I have always felt energized by the sharing and mingling that happens during this month – I believe it allows us to more clearly see the humanity in each other and keep it at the center of our interactions. Will Smith phrased this best by saying: “the best things in life are found on the other side of discomfort.”

Volunteering for the Red Cross has always given me a similar vigor and enthusiasm. My first volunteering experience was with the Sound the Alarm campaign; I was part of a group that canvased neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and installed smoke detectors in the homes of people who needed it. We went into every neighborhood and knocked on every door without hesitation or distinction – only respect and a desire to help.

The volunteers and residents were from all sorts of different backgrounds, and the interactions we shared were extremely rewarding for both parties. Some residents would ask us to stay for 5 minutes to have a glass of water and chat – these simple moments of human connections are still etched in my memory today. Over my years of volunteering with the Red Cross, I’ve continued to be inspired by the organization’s commitment to helping people, while maintaining their dignity – one of the key ingredients to do this is keeping people’s humanity at the center of our effort.

Main image description: Photo of Oumar Toure