By Angi Carter, Community Engagement Editoracarter@nhregister.comTwitter: @ReachAngi, @nhrvoicesFacebook: Angi Carter, Community Media Lab

The Association for the Study of African-American Life and History this year is dedicating Black History Month to a celebration of the contributions African-American women have made throughout the annals of the nation's history, from the advent of slavery to 2012.

The association selected "Black Women in American Culture and History" as the 2012 theme.

Harriet Tubman

There have been prominent women on the national scene, such as Harriet Tubman (1820-1913) or our first black First Lady Michelle Obama, (1964-present) but there also have been countless women who made a difference in our own homes, schools, churches, neighborhoods, cities and towns.

We were able to count on you - our readers and neighbors - in selecting a Person of the Year for 2011. So, we're coming back to you again to ask you to nominate African-American women who have made positive contributions to your community for profiles that will run in the Register throughout February.

Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) founded "Negro History Week" in February 1926. It was expanded to a month-long observance in 1976.

Carter G. Woodson

Help us honor this time of remembrance, reflection and celebration by honoring women who have touched your life and the lives of others.
Tell us something about them by sending an email to NHRvoices@nhregister.com, posting information on this blog or calling me at 203-789-5752 or my fellow Community Engagement Editor Ed Stannard at 203-789-5743.

Thank you all for your help.

I had the honor recently of spending time with students from New Haven’s Hyde Leadership Interdistrict Magnet School and their resource counselor, Jane Roth.

The group- about 20 - came to the newsroom for a tour and to observe our morning news meeting. As Managing Editor Mark Brackenbury explained, it was an unusual day, as many of the regular meeting participants were on the road.

While Mark and I were chatting with them about changes in journalism and the challenges we face every day, Joseph Kelley and his schoolmates did exactly what my colleague and fellow blogger Ed Stannard encourage our audience to do: Raise your voices.
As we roll out a reorganization that is focused on community engagement, investigative stories, explainer pieces, fact-checking and breaking news, I am delighted that Joseph told us how we could better serve him.

He wants us to go beyond reporting on-the spot conflict or violence when they arise in our coverage area. Listen in:

We will be continuing our discussion with Joseph and even more Hyde students after the turn of the year. We will listen to them and bring those forums to you via chats on our website. So be sure to follow Your Open Newsroom updates here on the blog, on Twitter @NHRvoices and our Community Media Lab page on Facebook.

You may also send me an email: acarter@nhregister.com or call 203-789-5752.

Ed and I are charged with making the New Haven Register newsroom more open to you. That means engaging you in all steps of the newsgathering process from finding out what’s happening around us, to shaping how your stories are presented online and in print, to sharing with our networks of family, friends and co-workers for even more feedback.

So, chime in and let us know how we’re doing. That’s right, just jump into the comments section and start now!