Black History Month: This is me, Oghosa

During the month of February, we recognize Black History Month. It’s a time to celebrate the remarkable history, culture and achievements of the Black community, 也认识到他们在几个世纪以来所面临的挑战.

This year, Oghosa Idahosa, a member of our Employee Inclusion Network, Ujima, shares his story.

满足Oghosa

My name is Oghosa, 我从2021年开始在TC能源公司实习，现在是卡尔加里的一名在职土木工程师.

当我13岁的时候，我的家人从尼日利亚搬到了卡尔加里，因为我父亲想为我和我的两个妹妹提供更好的机会. We are a tight-knit and supportive family. My strong-willed, 聪明的父亲和富有同情心的母亲都在塑造我的过程中发挥了重要作用. 

Family portrait with Oghosa’s parents and two younger sisters.

他们培养的其中一个特点是我对周围世界无尽的好奇心和渴望.

当我小的时候，这意味着在三岁的时候学习如何打鼓. I then picked up the piano, guitar, bass, saxophone and trumpet. I also discovered a love for singing! As a musician living in North America, my passion for music is a vital connection to my Nigerian roots, as American music is deeply rooted in Black music.

Oghosa puts his musical skills to use at his church every Sunday.

Understanding Black history

然而, 直到十几岁的时候，我才开始深入了解黑人历史，并对其产生了兴趣. I read Martin Luther King Jr.他在狱中写的这封信使我看到了我的祖先所面临的斗争. I also started reflecting on the root cause of these struggles – yes, 一群人给自己讲了一个比另一群人优越的故事——但这也是由于系统的破坏, and people clinging to familiarity and inertia. 这种理解给了我希望，因为我们可以改变破碎的制度——但我们需要自我教育，并在这个月之后尊重黑人历史，这样才有可能. 

Last year, my grandmother in Nigeria passed away. 当她去世时, a treasury of stories and lessons were lost, and an essential connection to my family history is now forever gone. 这让我想起了海明威的名言:“每个人都有两次死亡:被埋在地下的时候和最后一次有人叫他名字的时候。.” It’s beautiful and it’s melancholic at the same time. 当谈到我的家族史——黑人的历史——我的目标是尽可能地推迟第二次死亡，让记忆萦绕不去.

同样地, 我认为，改变系统性偏见的关键在于保留我们黑人根源的记忆，并理解将我们带到这里的历史. 通过提醒我们自己和彼此我们个人和集体的历史, we can alter the systems that govern us.

Now, as a member of TC Energy’s newest Employee Inclusion Network, Ujima, which focuses on the Black community and our allies, I help plan events, participate in speaking engagements and spread awareness. 这是我与第二次死亡抗争的一部分，是为了让黑人社区的历史永存并被铭记, 使我们丰富的遗产不仅对现在而且对未来继续产生积极的影响.

我很高兴看到积极的运动正在发生——我们正在努力使每个房间的思想多样化，并照亮以前某些群体似乎无法企及的道路.

You might also be interested in

• Black History Month 2023: This is me, Marlon
• 10 ways you can celebrate and learn during Black History Month
• Employee Inclusion Networks