As we celebrate the birth of our nation with friends and family this Fourth of July, we are reminded of the principles behind our nation's founding—freedom, opportunity, and the pursuit of happiness for all. These ideals are at the heart of TakeCharge's mission as we work to counter the common narrative that America is systemically racist.
Last year, Kendall wrote an Op-Ed detailing why black Americans don't have to choose between Juneteenth and the Fourth of July - because without the Declaration of Independence, there would be no Juneteenth. And there would be no Juneteenth without the sacrifice of 350,000 white men of the Union Army from non-slave-holding states who died in the Civil War, leading to the Emancipation Proclamation. There are organizations using both holidays to divide the nation by insisting that America has been broken by systemic racism. And this helps no one — black or white.
So, today, we honor the progress America has made and the strides we continue to take toward a more prosperous future for every American. Our commitment to ensuring that every individual, regardless of skin color, understands they have the opportunity to achieve the American dream remains unwavering.
This Independence Day, we celebrate the American spirit and the promise it holds for the citizens of this nation - regardless of skin color.
