TOLEDO, Ohio — As Black History Month comes to an end, the work to end racism and achieve social equity for Toledo’s Black and brown communities is ongoing.
The goal is a better tomorrow and that begins today.
Kush Baxter, 22, is a senior pursuing a double major in business organizational leadership and international business. The Chicago, Illinois, native has been involved in a number of community service projects in Toledo.
“I almost have a duty to help my community, to be a leader in my community and be a pillar in my community,” he says.
The passion for service grew out of a brotherhood. Baxter is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Epsilon Alpha Chapter.
He’s participated in voter registration drives, feeding people in need, mentoring high school students, and so much more.
“I believe Black history is solely based off love and it’s my right to bring that love to light.”
His volunteer work in Toledo inspired him to give back in his southside Chicago neighborhood, and his efforts included a clothing drive where he says donations were given to Saint Sabina Church.
Oftentimes a simple conversation can lead to real action within a community.
YWCA Northwest Ohio President and CEO Lisa McDuffie believes getting to the root of the problem, which she says is structural racism, begins with dialogue. The Toledo Black Agenda was created to foster those conversations. The document is aimed at helping individuals, organizations, and institutions understand and address the need within the Black community.
It addresses key issues including education and criminal justice reform.
“The data doesn’t lie, the data tells the story and the fact of the matter is, the story it tells is pretty bleak for people of color,” McDuffie says. “Most people of color will tell you there’s some sort of encounter daily that reminds you of the color of your skin.”
The next step beyond the manifesto is bringing people together to create a system to evaluate the effectiveness of the Toledo Black Agenda. In the meantime, the work on the ground continues with various organizations and individuals ready to create change now.
Baxter is determined to lead and guide the next generation.
“We’re in the same struggle, we all want to make the world a better place so let’s do that with our actions,” he says.
Starting March 1, The YWCA is hosting a 21-day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge. According to the organization, it’s a “free tool designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege and leadership.”
To register for the online challenge click here.