It’s February. As with every year, it’s Black History Month. This year also has brought around the Winter Olympics which will kick off in a couple of days. Both are celebrations of the journey and accomplishments of the two respective groups, Black folks and Olympic athletes in America, but, of course, with completely different contexts and under completely different circumstances. I wouldn’t DARE put the two in the same category or on the same level of impact, degradation or significance but I would like to share some of my personal thoughts on the two…

Differences

It goes without saying that the journey and experience of an Olympic athlete is not by any means a comparison to the plight of a slave. I hope that comes across clearly. A centuries-long genocidal oppression exists in its own context, of course, but I am trying to make a point. There are some (low level) similarities that can be pointed out but there are, of course, major differences. The main one being choice. It could be argued that athletes in some countries have little choice as their governments pull the strings but I’m keeping my focus here in America. In this country, if you choose to pursue the journey of an Olympic athlete, you do so by choice. You don’t get thrown in jail, kicked out of your country… or beaten with a whip if you decide you want to pursue another path. Slaves were such by force and not by choice — an obvious differentiation but one that works for the purposes of this post.

Similarities

Black History Month is the hard and long fought-for recognition of the contributions and very presence of Black people in America. It is an acknowledgement of the experience and the accomplishments of Black folks, what we endured to shape the foundations of America and our story of overcoming. In the same vein, the Olympics is a celebration of athletic achievement, the end result of the strict discipline and preparation that it took to reach the ultimate athletic competition. These athletes sacrifice, endure injuries and all types of tragedies (if you’ve ever looked into the back stories of some) and overcome them in pursuit of the title of Olympic champion. It’s difficult to imagine the strength of mindset, strength of will and sheer determination that it took to make it through the worst of the horrors of the Black experience and, to a much lesser extent (comparatively speaking), the journey of those athletes. It takes grit and, especially in the context of those of us that endured a 400+ year systematic and (an ongoing) systemic attack against our humanity, to overcome everything they faced to get US to where we are today.

Money Machines

With both slavery and the Olympics, the underpinning motivation is money. It all comes down to economics and who controls them. According to my research, the International Olympic Committee is a $6 billion organization that rests in the hands of literal royalty for the most part. Kings, Counts, government officials and the occasional former athlete are the masters behind the controls. They are the ones that enjoy the unimaginable perks that come along with their membership on the committee. BusinessInsider.com details some of those outrageous perks, along with other details about the inside workings of the organization. Check out the article if you are interested. We see the sportsmanship, the competition and “the Olympic spirit” but not the machine behind it (though we got some idea after learning how the girls gymnastics doctor was able to get away with his unthinkable crimes for years!). Just make sure those athletes are able to perform, draw the attention of the masses and ultimately, the money that comes along with them. The slave trade lasted as long as it did as “successfully” as it did because of the amount of money that it generated and the refusal of those whose pockets it filled to give it up. Again, two totally different scenarios, one nowhere in comparison to the other but I’m just finding the parallels. There are the “horses” doing all the work and generating the money, the REAL money, and there are those behind the scenes who are enjoying the spoils.

Identity… Lost and Found

All of the above came and has come with a cost, the one that is my focus: the common thread of loss and sense of loss of identity that connects the two. Black people, of course, had our identity stripped from us. Slaves were ripped from and separated from their families and given the names of and by those who owned them. In the case of the athletes, many stories have come to light about depression and struggle to live up to unimaginable pressure and the expectations of others, as with Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka. Identity is SUCH a key contributor to confidence, a sense of true self, direction, ownership and so much more. Unfortunately, like many accomplished people, they take on what they DO as their identity so when their “thing,” whatever is, goes away, they feel lost. And that is my whole point after the Black History Month/slave trade and Olympics lessons. You as a reader have the ability to choose. You get to decide who and what you want to be or become but true fulfillment and satisfaction are contingent on you making the RIGHT choices. Your innate abilities, tendencies, personality to some extent, your preferences and your temperament are all indicators of your identity — how you naturally show up in the world and impact it and the people around you. It’s what automatically flows from you, not just what you are good (or even excel) at or what you learn to do well.

Celebrate Them But Be You

Over the next few weeks, as you recognize Black History Month and cheer on your favorite Olympic athletes, admire what these extraordinary people accomplished in their lifetimes and contributed to this nation in their respective ways. Remember what they had to sacrifice and endure. Appreciate their triumphs and wins but also keep in mind your own ability today to choose; remember what it means to own your identity and truly walk in it. I believe it’s the way to best honor those who have come before you and most importantly, yourself.