John, this Juneteenth, I'm thinking about how far our fight for true freedom and equality for African Americans has come – and how far we still have to go.

Sometimes it's hard to wrap my head around how much progress we've made in just a couple of generations.

I grew up during segregation. In North Carolina, we could not eat in the same restaurants as white people. When we went to the grocery store, we were taught not to look directly at a white person. Almost everything was separate, nothing was equal.

When I was 13 years old, I went to school with white kids for the first time. I finally had new books for the first time, as opposed to the worn-out ones we were accustomed to before. But, the integration of Black students into white society was far from equitable.

We conducted sit-ins and protests to fight for a Black marshall at graduation, the allowance of Black cheerleaders on the squad, reliable school bus schedules for Black students, and more. The progress was slow, but my peers and I persevered, fighting for what we deserved.

As we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black people in America on Juneteenth, we also celebrate the progress we have made and will continue to make for future generations.

The progress we see today is a culmination of concerted efforts across the United States by Black advocates to create a better life. Every single act, big or small, has contributed to the changes we see today.

Instead of conditioning my children to avoid eye contact, I taught them to look people in the eye and greet them with a firm handshake and a smile. The truth is, we have more in common with others than we have differences.

But, there are still systemic issues stemming from slavery and segregation. There is still plenty to do. So today, we celebrate how far we’ve come in our fight for racial justice and equality – and tomorrow we continue our mission.

Thank you for taking a moment to reflect on Juneteenth with me.

— Valerie Foushee