Dear Reconstruction Community,
The first month of 2025 has felt unusually long and each day heavier than the last. The chaos in our world right now is designed to deter and distract us from our destiny. But we must not forget the significance of this season and the powerful movements shaping our collective journey in such times. Let us remember who we are and how, in times of uncertainty, we have leaned into our most valuable asset—our culture and our community. From building freedom schools and mutual aid societies during the Reconstruction era to most recently, creating modern-day digital safe spaces that empower and inspire us - we remain focused on our destiny. How do we lean into the unwavering strength that comes from our shared vision? February invites us to center ourselves in the rich tapestry of Black history, a legacy of resilience, creativity, and transformation that fuels our purpose.
Today, I want to celebrate the revolutionary energy blossoming in our communities—particularly on platforms like TikTok, where Hillmantok University has reignited a collective spirit of abolitionist learning and liberation. The organic movement was started by Dr. Barlow, who was talking about her real Intro to African American Studies, but she tapped into a real need and desire people have to teach and learn as an act of resistance. If you haven’t already encountered this vibrant movement, I encourage you to explore how creators are blending education, activism, and joy in ways that resonate deeply with our mission at Reconstruction. These educators and visionaries are not just imagining freedom—they’re building it, one lesson, one post, one shared dream at a time. Creators like @CharlishaRenata are weaving together powerful history lessons, cultural pride, and abolitionist principles, inspiring countless viewers not just to learn, but to take action through courses like Cultural Aesthetics 101 - Black Women, Hip Hop and Fashion.
Aligned with this spirit, I’m thrilled to announce the launch of our Blackest Book Club today. This year’s theme, Imagine a Brighter Future, calls us to harness the power of literature as a revolutionary act—to dream boldly, resist injustice, and craft a new world rooted in equity, hope, and joy. In a time of immense political and societal challenges, we turn to books as tools for liberation and imagination. Through reading, we find not only answers but also the courage and creativity to design better lives for ourselves, our communities, and future generations, aligning perfectly with the mission of our Blackest Book Club to imagine a brighter, more equitable future.
This initiative is more than a book club; it’s an invitation to connect with the transformative power of stories and ideas that have shaped our understanding of justice, resilience, and possibility. We invite you to reflect with us: What books have shaped your vision of liberation? What stories have sparked your resolve to dream of a world where equity and joy prevail? Your reflections, your voice, and your participation are what will make this community effort a powerful force for change.
As we enter Black History Month, let us honor our past by actively shaping our future. Let us read, learn, teach, and act with a deep understanding that our efforts today echo in the lives of generations to come. Together, we are part of a continuum of Black excellence and innovation, bound by a shared commitment to building a better, freer world—a commitment that calls us to action, to read, to learn, and to create a future that honors our legacy and uplifts our communities.
Let’s honor our ancestors who faced oppression, and yet during the Reconstruction era forged paths of progress whose legacies live on today. I encourage you to:
With these commitments, we continue a legacy of resilient transformation towards our destiny. I leave you with the words of Poet Amanda Gordan.
With love and gratitude,
Kenya Bradshaw
CEO, Reconstruction