Dear John,

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War had ended and Black communities were now free — two and a half years after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

This Juneteenth, will you celebrate freedom with us?

Freedom in this country has always been hard-fought and much-delayed. But when it arrives, it is cause for celebration.

I joined the Movement for Black Lives in 2017 and help to lead the work around electoral justice because I know that we need to use every tool in our toolbelt to get free. And that includes the ballot box. And I found my political home at the Working Families Party because it’s clear to me that my freedom is inextricably entwined with those of all working families for the same reason. We are our best hope for the future.

Coretta Scott King said, “Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.”

This is our call to action. This is our call to join the freedom side. Which side are you on?

Right now, uprisings are taking place in all 50 states demanding that police officers be held accountable for the murders of Black folks, putting pressure on elected officials to defund the police and instead invest in the people and community control, and on the national level calling for Trump's resignation.

The streets are demanding action now — and from Minneapolis to Dallas to New York to Atlanta, we are winning.

To celebrate this momentum and push us towards a future that values and upholds Black lives, the Working Families Party is joining the Movement for Black Lives in taking action on Juneteenth weekend, June 19-21. Actions will be taking place digitally and from our homes, in local communities around the world, and mobilizing 20,000 strong to take action for three days in Washington, DC.

Let’s bring our struggle for collective freedom to the doorstep of the White House — from everywhere! Sign up for an event wherever you are. And if you don’t see one, create one!

Join us this Juneteenth »

I’m on the freedom side. Are you?

In solidarity,

Aimee Castenell
M4BL and Working Families Party

P.S. Protest is critical to our movements. And we are very aware that we must not only protect ourselves and our friends from the scourge of systemic racism but we also have to be vigilant about the ongoing threat of COVID-19 that has already snatched the lives of thousands. So, before you step out in defense of Black lives, do you know your COVID-19 status? To ensure your own safety and the safety of those around you, we’re encouraging folks who attended a previous protest and plan to take part in this weekend’s Juneteenth activities to get tested in advance. In other words, #KnowBeforeYouGo.

Become a Working Families Party Member! Other political groups have corporate donors. We have you. Just $10 a month supports our fight.

Paid for by Working Families Party National PAC (81 Prospect St., Brooklyn, NY).