John, today, we commemorate Juneteenth.

Juneteenth recognizes the day the last enslaved Black Americans learned they were free 158 years ago, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

Our celebrations today must include concrete commitments to advocate for and advance racial equity and social justice. This Juneteenth, I’m particularly thinking about economic opportunity for Black Americans, and the work we can do together to close the racial wealth gap.

Freedom means something different to all of us. That can look like entrepreneurship for some, or owning land and buying a first home with loved ones for others. 

To me, freedom means leaving a legacy, and through my work in Congress, I’m focused on helping Black Americans build theirs. Black wealth is up 60% compared to before the pandemic, and Black-owned businesses are being created at the fastest rate in 30 years.

This is the kind of progress we can make when we commit to taking steps to create an equitable country for all — like through student debt cancellation, which has helped 4.75 million Americans cancel $167 billion in student loans. Black student loan borrowers are more likely to experience excessive interest accumulation on their student loans, and canceling them helps address debt and build wealth.

I’ll never lose hope for our future. I know that together, we can continue to build legacies, advance racial equity, and advocate for progress.

Thank you for reading, John. I hope you have a wonderful Juneteenth.

Lauren