As We Honor and Celebrate Juneteenth

As we honor and celebrate Juneteenth this Sunday and Monday, I hope we all take time to reflect on the significance of this holiday in our collective history. The emancipation of the last African American slaves finally marked a formal end of slavery in the United States, but it’s painful to think of the ignorance and injustices that persisted, and carry on in so many ways.

I know that for so many of us, even as we celebrate this monumental moment in our history, events and tragedies over recent months and years show that there is still so much more to be accomplished. It is more important now than ever to acknowledge the symbolic meaning of what this holiday represents.

For our part, I hope we can continue to be allies in the fight for basic human dignity and justice for all. We are here to acknowledge and demand that Black Lives Matter, a fact that should not need to be said, but absolutely must be reiterated, unequivocally. And as we continue to pursue ways to be better allies, we welcome ideas and approaches on how we can help to honor and respond to the lasting legacy that Juneteenth marks.

In Solidarity,

Darren Bloch

CEO and Executive Director