Celebrating Black History Month
To commemorate Black History Month (BHM), Mosaic, Cengage’s employee resource group (ERG) for BIPOC employees and allies, proudly hosted its fifth annual BHM Art Auction. This milestone event continues to spotlight the extraordinary artistic talent within our organization while creating meaningful impact beyond our own community. All funds raised from the auction are donated to charities that support and uplift Black communities across the United States, with this year’s proceeds benefiting our 2026 charity partners, see list below.
New this year, Mosaic introduced a $20 raffle option each week leading up to the live Art Auction to make participation even more accessible. Each raffle piece was created and generously donated by our very own Cengage artists, with proceeds directly supporting our 2026 charities. The addition of the weekly raffle expanded opportunities for employees to engage, give back and celebrate creativity throughout the month.
The live auction brought together over 147 employees from across the company and raised approximately $7,400, with the opportunity to further amplify our impact through Cengage’s gift matching program.
Takeyce Walter, Manager of Creative Media, Mosaic Co-lead, auction organizer and contributing artist, shared, “Every year, I’m reminded that this auction is about so much more than the art itself. It’s about the stories behind each piece, the generosity behind every bid and the collective commitment we share to uplifting Black communities. Watching colleagues show up — whether by creating, bidding, raffling or simply cheering others on — is incredibly powerful. What we build together through this event reflects the very best of who we are as a community.”
Meet Our Artists
Zarinah Dennis, Enrollment Representative, supports prospective students as they explore program options and navigate the enrollment process. In a role centered on guidance and connection, she helps students take an important first step toward their educational goals.
As a new member of the Mosaic ERG, participating in the BHM Art Auction offered an opportunity to engage more deeply with the community. Drawn by her passion for creative expression, Zarinah saw the auction as a meaningful way to contribute.
“Creative expression has always been important to me,” she shared. “I’m grateful for opportunities that bring art and community together in such an intentional way.”
For Zarinah, art plays a powerful role in honoring BHM. She believes art carries stories that transcend language — reflecting culture, resilience, creativity and lived experience in ways that feel both intimate and collective. Through visual expression, history becomes not just something remembered, but something felt.
Click here to view more of Zarinah’s artwork.
Trent Busakowski has spent the past twelve years at Cengage as an Art Director supporting Cengage School. In his role, he brings visual storytelling to life, shaping engaging content that supports learners and educators around the world.
For Trent, Mosaic has created valuable space to connect and learn alongside colleagues from diverse backgrounds. He shares that the BHM Art Auction stands out as a meaningful highlight each year — a moment when creativity and community come together with purpose.
While much of his professional work is digitally focused, Trent has increasingly embraced hands-on creative projects outside of his day-to-day responsibilities. Participating in the Art Auction offers a refreshing change of pace and an opportunity to channel that work toward something impactful. “Creating hands-on pieces has become a welcome break from my digitally focused workdays,” he shared. “This auction gives me a way to pass that work along in support of worthy causes.”
Looking ahead, Trent hopes the auction’s impact continues to extend beyond the month of February. He expressed a desire to see sustained support for the selected charities throughout the year and hopes the event continues to inspire employees to share their creative talents.
Kimberley Champion recently joined Cengage as a User Experience Designer. Though she’s only been with the organization for a few weeks, she is already diving in — learning the landscape, collaborating with teammates and finding meaningful ways to connect across the company.
As a newcomer, Mosaic has played an important role in helping Kimberley feel welcome. From attending a Mosaic Monthly Meetup to being encouraged to participate in the BHM Art Auction, she has found early opportunities to engage and build relationships beyond her immediate team. She looks forward to continuing to grow those connections and becoming more involved in the community.
Participating in the Art Auction felt like a natural way to contribute. “I appreciate that the event supports a charitable cause,” Kimberley shared. “It felt like a meaningful way to get involved, connect with the company and be part of something bigger.”
For Kimberley, art embodies the depth and complexity of BHM. “Black history includes joy, resistance, brilliance and survival,” she reflected. “Art captures those layers in a way that facts alone can’t. It documents stories and experiences that were often overlooked or erased — and it also creates space to imagine new possibilities.”
Caroline Patterson rejoined Cengage in 2025 after spending two years at home with her family. Prior to that, she built a nearly 13-year career within Cengage Higher Ed, serving in a variety of sales and leadership roles. Today, as a Field Sales Associate, she continues to leverage her deep experience to build strong relationships and support educators in the field.
Outside of her professional work, Caroline has long been drawn to the arts — particularly vibrant, impressionist pieces that celebrate color and movement. About a year ago, she began painting as a creative outlet and hobby, finding inspiration in the everyday beauty. What started as personal exploration quickly became a meaningful way to express gratitude and joy.
Participating in the BHM Art Auction felt like a natural extension of both her creativity and her commitment to community. Caroline saw the event as an opportunity not only to share her work, but also to support the nonprofits and charitable organizations selected by Mosaic.
Looking ahead, she hopes the auction continues to grow in impact and inspiration. “I hope this event encourages others at Cengage to pursue their personal passions and dreams,” she shared, “and that the funds raised continue to make a positive difference for the organizations and communities they support.”
You can explore more of her original artwork on Instagram at @carolinepattersonart.
2026 Charites
New this year, each of Cengage’s seven ERGs — Pride, Women in Tech (WiT), Green, Parents and Caregivers, Disability, Chronic Illness and Neurodiversity (DCIN), Mental Health Alliance (MHA) and Mosaic — selected an organization to support through the BHM Art Auction. This expanded approach allowed our ERGs to champion causes that align closely with their communities and missions, broadening the auction’s collective impact.
The 2026 charity partners include:
Pride: National Black Justice Coalition, whose mission is to end racism, homophobia and LGBTQ/SGL bias and stigma.
WiT: Black Girls Code, a nonprofit organization that focuses on engaging African American girls and other youth of color with computer programming education to nurture their careers in tech.
Green: Intersectional Environmentalist, envisions a world where storytelling unites communities to foster climate action and collective resilience.
Parents and Caregivers: Jack and Jill Foundation, dedicated to nurturing future African American leaders and focuses on education, health, and wellness to create strong foundations for children in under-resourced communities.
DCIN: National Black Disability Coalition, dedicated to promoting disability equity and addressing the specific needs of Black disabled people, focusing on the intersections of race and disability.
MHA: Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM), a national training, movement-building, and grant-making organization dedicated to removing barriers that Black communities experience accessing emotional health care.
Mosaic: National Black Arts Festival, whose mission is to “expose, educate, engage and entertain audiences by presenting and supporting the art and artists of African descent."
City Teaching Alliance (formerly Urban Teachers), aims to “improve educational and life outcomes of children in urban schools by preparing culturally responsive, effective career educators who accelerate student achievement and disrupt systems of racial and socioeconomic inequity.”
National Birth Equity Collaborative, a leading organization founded to reduce maternal and infant mortality, particularly among Black communities.
Learn More:
Continue learning about our BHM Art Auction and discover insights from our 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 artists and event organizers.