Our Voices: What Black History Month Means to Comcast Teammates Bonnie, Fanuel, Opal and Jaritsa

Comcast is committed to amplifying diverse voices, advancing equity and fostering inclusion this Black History Month and beyond. To celebrate, we spoke with four local employees to find out what the subject means to them:

1. Bonnie, Senior Fulfillment Consultant for Engineering Operations from Western Massachusetts
2. Fanuel, Xfinity Expert, Plainville, Connecticut Xfinity Store
3. Opal, Senior Product Support & Analysis Specialist from Connecticut
4. Jaritsa, Xfinity Expert, West Hartford, Connecticut Xfinity Store

Q: What does Black History Month mean to you?

Bonnie: Black History Month means that we have 28 days in February to:

• Hear the stories of amazing, brave and courageous Black Americans.
• Invest time to learn about lesser-known civil rights champions.
• Share the accomplishments that Black change-makers contributed to our country.
• Teach love, patience, tolerance and understanding.
• Open our minds to someone different.
• Rejoice in the hope of our future.
• Yield to the existence of diversity and embrace humanity.

Fanuel: Black History Month means that we, as Black Americans, are an important part of U.S. history. This month is a great time to remember the contributions and the excellence found in Black America. We, as humans, are remarkable people, and it’s a reminder to look back to see how far we’ve come, even as we continue to focus on making the future more inclusive.

Opal: Black History Month provides the opportunity to celebrate and show appreciation for the accomplishments African Americans have made. My family and I reflect on how far we’ve come and participate in community events that honor and remember those who paved the way for others to overcome injustice and inequality.

Jaritsa: Black History Month is a way to celebrate our ancestors and the fight, struggle, pain and courage they endured so we can have the life we live today. It’s to remind us that even though we may have obstacles, there is always a way to make change for a better tomorrow.

Q: Which historical Black figure would you most like to meet?

Jaritsa: I would love to meet pioneering mathematician Katherine Johnson. She was one of the first African American women to work at NASA, which was chronicled in the movie Hidden Figures. She manually calculated the trajectories of space flight, which is astonishing considering how critical those calculations were to many missions. She was truly amazing!

Opal: I would choose to meet American activist and civil rights lawyer, Thurgood Marshall. He played a vital role in ending segregation in the United States and paved the way for change, equality and justice. I would thank him and congratulate him for all his accomplishments, particularly for becoming the first Black United States Supreme Court Justice.

Fanuel: I would like to meet Langston Hughes, a social activist, poet and playwright. He was a creative and intelligent man, and I would love to pick his brain. He wrote stories of perseverance while leading a cultural renaissance in Harlem, NY in the 1920s and 30s, which was an extraordinary time in America’s history.

Bonnie: I would love to have a conversation with Madam C.J. Walker, the first Black female millionaire in America who developed a line of hair care for Black women. She started with nothing and became a force to be reckoned with. She generously supported educational causes, funded scholarships for women and championed dozens of Black charities, such as the NAACP and the Black YMCA. I think the knowledge and inspiration she would impart would be immense.

Q: Do you have any favorite shows or movies on Black Experience on Xfinity, Comcast’s on-demand destination of Black entertainment, movies, TV shows and news?

Fanuel: I enjoy the channel’s documentaries, including Founding in Color, about Black and Latino leaders in the tech and entertainment industries. I also like the PBS series Boss, the Black Experience in Business, which features African American business owners.

Bonnie: My favorite movies on the Black Experience channel are The Clark Sisters, about the famous gospel singers, and Creed, a sports drama.

This month and all year long, Comcast NBCUniversal is honoring Black changemakers by highlighting how innovators of the past have paved the road for culture shifters today and beyond.

For instance, this month, Xfinity is excited to showcase “Evolution of Activism,” a collection that explores the evolution and progression of activism throughout history.

This and more Black History content is available on the Black Experience on Xfinity through Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex, Xfinity Stream, and on Peacock. To find it easily, just say “Black History Month” or “Black Experience” into your Xfinity X1 Voice Remote.

For more on Comcast’s celebration of Black History Month, click here.