Juneteenth has been celebrated by Black communities for over 150 years and its recent federal recognition marks a milestone of American equity and progress.
This holiday commemorates not just emancipation but the day when the good news reached everyone. It serves as a reminder that freedom delayed is justice denied and true liberty is only achieved when it is extended to all.
On top of generations of barbaric injustice, slaves in Galveston were cheated of their freedom for two years, highlighting the importance of the government championing secure liberty not for some, not for most, but for all.
Today, our work is not over. Creating a more just society is a perpetually unfinished task, and our fight for equality is eternal.
Juneteenth also serves as a call to action. We must challenge and improve the systemic structures that perpetuate racial oppression in every corner of the country.
We must strive to eliminate the remnants of racial oppression that still exist today — because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, and true freedom cannot exist until it is granted to every last one of us.
Happy Juneteenth. Happy Freedom Day.
