This year, we are counting the many ways in which Black history is celebrated and recognized for its impactful and rich culture. From themes to events and celebrations, Black History Month is a chance for learning and discovering new ways to support the African American community. Below are resources and local Milwaukee events you can check out in honor of Black History Month.

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) 2022’s Black History Month theme will be focusing on the importance of Black health and wellness to shed light on the Black scholars and medical practitioners whose initiatives have made a great impact in healing and leading the health and wellness of the Black community. This theme will teach us the activities, rituals and initiatives that Black communities do in order to take care of their wellness. ASALH's showcasing of books on Black health and wellness practitioners, coaches and scholars can be viewed here.

MCSAP's Black Americans Resisting Substance Misuse: Throughout February, MCSAP is shining a light on Black leaders and community members who have devoted themselves to preventing substance misuse and supporting those in recovery. To learn more, Like MCSAP on Facebook.

The Milwaukee Film Black Lens program has dedicated a series of events and films showcasing Black icons and filmmakers in order to prioritize the African American experience and “bridge racial and cultural divides” using film. Each week of February will present a new theme, such as “Black Perspectives,” “Black Love through a Black Lens,” “Black Genealogies,” and “Black Remembrances.” To view their program, click here. If you are interested in buying tickets to the Milwaukee Film Black Lens program, click here.

Honor, Restore and Protect Black Health: Join the Black history month virtual program sponsored by WAATPN/WTPPN and Suburban Milwaukee Tobacco Prevention Wednesday, February 23. This panel will talk about the misinformation on social media surrounding Black health and focus on combatting false health information in the Black community. To register for this event, click here.

Our Prevention Journal will be showcasing more events, webinars and resources this month that are honoring Black History Month. Stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated!

The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) is showcasing the exhibit "Visions of American Blackness" on the Black American diaspora as a result of the Great Migration. There will be film screenings and panels within this exhibit showcasing today’s Black visual artists. The "Visions of American Blackness" exhibit will be open until March 12. Click here for more information.

The Office of Violence Prevention will be hosting a "Winter of Wellness" training series with eight weeks of free online trainings that are focused on violence prevention in the community. To register for this series, click here. For more information on Violence Prevention, visit their Facebook page.

The Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force and Milwaukee Turners will be hosting a three-part series on mental illness and the criminal justice system. This series will highlight and identify gaps and opportunities to divert people with mental illness and link them to services. The webinar will begin Tuesday, February 8, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Registration is required; click here to register.

Join this Institute for Research on Poverty webinar to learn about the impact of monthly cash support for low-income mothers on brain development of their infant children. This webinar will be presented by two researchers, Sonya Troller-Renfree and Greg Duncan, who are behind the study to test the connections between poverty reduction and brain development among young children. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, February 9, from 1 to 2 p.m. Click here to register.

Join presenter Warren Duncan as they help explore the nature of boundary issues at work, offer tips and best practices for reducing the risk of boundary problems in the workplace. The training will be held on Tuesday, February 15, at 8:45 to 11 a.m. Click here to register.

The Wisconsin Society of Addiction Medicine and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services will be starting a series of Buprenorphine x-waiver training webinars this month. The webinars have the goal to educate and boost the usage of buprenorphine, which is a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. For more information about the webinars, click here.

Samad’s House will be hosting a Black Balloon Release to bring awareness to the dangers of addiction from drug substances, as well as bring light to the lives lost due to drug overdose. This event will be held on Sunday, March 6, at 2875 N. 23rd St. Samad’s House also offers programs and a holistic approach to treatment for women recovering from substance abuse. For more information on this event, please contact Raqiba Malik at maxwell@bluejadebranding.com

Mental Health First Aid-Adult teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in adults. This training will give you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care. Community Advocates Public Policy Institute is offering a virtual MHFA-Adult session on Thursday, March 10, from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. It's free and open to those who live or work in Milwaukee County. Click here for details and to register.

Community Advocates Public Policy Institute is offering a virtual Youth Mental Health First Aid Training. YMHFA is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (ages 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge or is in crisis. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. The training will be held virtually Friday, March 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To register, click here.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) have officially launched the updated Dose of Reality Initiative. This initiative will provide tools for Wisconsin Residents in order to help prevent and reduce risks of opioid use by having open and honest conversations. The Dose of Reality Initiative will help provide information on opioid risks, safe disposal of medication, support resources and other topics and resources related to opioid use and recovery. You can access the Dose of Reality webpage, here.

The Milwaukee Public Library is holding a month-long reading challenge for kids and adults! MPL will be providing booklists, book recommendations and even prizes for kids and adults who complete their reading challenges. For more information on MPL’s reading challenge, click here!