In February, Herd Strategies celebrates Black History Month by amplifying Black artists, poets and historians. We seek to highlight people who are voices of the Black community today and share stories of the Black experience throughout history. Dr. Charlene Fletcher uses her extensive research on Black history to curate powerful exhibits for Conner Prairie, Indiana’s living history museum.

Whenever I watched videos by Black makeup artists, I began to notice how often they had to mix foundations to find their perfect shade. Often, the foundation brands they used were not brands I had ever seen in my local drugstore or makeup store. Scrolling through their comments, I saw other Black women sharing their own experiences and frustrations surrounding finding products that worked for them. Why weren’t accessible brands making foundations with them in mind? It wasn’t until I was in high school that the makeup industry started to address its inclusivity shortcomings, primarily thanks to one woman: Rihanna.

In February, Herd Strategies celebrates Black History Month by amplifying Black artists, poets and musicians. We seek to highlight creatives who are voices of the Black community today and share the stories of Black artists in history whose work paved the way for future generations. Rebecca Robinson, an Indianapolis-based mixed media artist, uses her art to share the Black experience and speak out against racial injustice.