Here's How To Celebrate and Learn in Beijing During Black History Month

A new lunar year is upon us as of last week, and to kick off the Year of the Tiger on a high note, why not expand your horizons? One way to do this is by learning how to be more open and inclusive, which you can do by taking part in Black History Month.

Fellow Beijinger Tatiana (Alex Smith, pictured in the lead image), who runs the podcast “Hopelessly Tatiana," has created a month-long calendar filled with daily activities, readings, movie suggestions, historical moments, and more, to help people learn about and understand the significance of Black History Month.

Tatiana says she was inspired to make the Black History Month calendar due to meeting a depressingly high number of people in China who had only learned about Black American history from the movie Gone with the Wind.

Black civil rights activist, poet, and writer Maya Angelou once said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Building upon this quote, Tatiana says she’s chosen to remember those with untold stories, experiences and dreams with this list of events.

And the list is absolutely filled with all sorts of events and activities. Some of these, like the CoolOut Sessions, will play on other holidays happening this month, like Valentine’s Day. Happening on Feb 12 at Chez Soi, this gathering will be about the “month of love," celebrating love not just in a romantic sense, but also as it pertains to all relationships – be they platonic, familial, or professional.
The CoolOut Sessions event will feature icebreaker games, speed dating, and good old-fashioned mingling, complete with a free flow of select drinks to keep the love flowing for all.

Other events include a Soul Food & Spades edition of Sunday Funday on Feb 13 at 4 Corners that will feature a soul food buffet courtesy of Tianmi Bakery, a Black Expo event on Feb 19 at Chez Soi, and a Black Out party at Xian Bar, also on Feb 19, which builds off the group Fetaholics established by DJ Wise to share Black Caribbean culture.

The month of events concludes on Feb 28 with a spoken word event at UMU Club. During the event, each speaker will take to the stage to perform – not just read – poetry created to highlight the importance of Black History Month. The goal is to entertain and, hopefully, enlighten.

READ: Black & Tan: Reflections on Living as a Person of Color in Beijing

Images courtesy of the event organizers and Tatiana Smith