The media shouldn’t need a Black History Month to acknowledge and celebrate Black talent (same goes for Latin people during Hispanic Heritage Month or women in March (our “History Month”), but we do. And as a journalist who gets way too many emails tailored to holidays and commemorative months, we feel a responsibility to shine a light on under-represented groups during the timely periods being pushed by PR people. That said, we believe in touting them year-round too. As Black History Month comes to a close, here’s a reminder that amplifying voices of all colors and cultures is important, and it can and should happen no matter the month. Here is a list of inspiring figures that came across our inbox this month. Follow them on social media (we’ve embedded their Instagram accounts here) and you are likely to be richer and smarter for it.








