Happy Juneteenth, John!

On June 19th, 1865, more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas finally learned of their freedom. Today, Juneteenth is a federal holiday and holds much symbolic significance for Black Americans.

The legacy of slavery, racism, and the struggle for equality must never be forgotten. My parents were active in the Civil Rights Movement and took me to protests, demonstrations, and marches during the 1960s. I even attended the legendary March on Washington in a stroller.

One of the defining memories of my childhood was the day after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. I’ll never forget the pain on my parent’s faces that morning, and the betrayal felt by our entire community.

But just like the generations of Black Americans before us, we persevered. I proudly attended a HBCU for college before beginning my career as a flight attendant with Delta.

However, my world was torn apart over a decade ago when my 17-year-old son Jordan was murdered in a hate-fueled shooting. A man with a gun parked next to Jordan and his friends at a gas station, became angry, and told them to turn down their “thug music” playing from the car stereo. He fired ten rounds into the side of their SUV.

The racism that endures to this day is a tragedy and far too common. Since dedicating my life to activism and political leadership, I’ve committed myself to making sure no more children are targeted because of their skin color.

The power of our stories matter. The fact that someone with my story is serving her third term in Congress matters. Today’s celebration of Juneteenth matters.

In solidarity,

Lucy McBath