Hello,

Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom – and a solemn reminder of the work still ahead.

On June 19th, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, the last enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas, were finally told they were free. That moment marked delayed justice, and its echoes are still felt today.

During my time in the Senate, I’ve worked alongside leaders from New York’s Black and African American communities to expand access to healthcare, defend voting rights and push for equity in education, housing and public safety. Together, we’ve fought to address injustice — but this work is far from finished.

That’s why, this Juneteenth, I’m asking you to stand with one of New York’s most consequential civil rights organizations: the New York NAACP.

For more than a century, the NAACP has led the fight to dismantle racism and build a nation where equity and justice are real for everyone. The NAACP New York Branch carries that mission forward — advocating for voting rights, fair education, criminal justice reform and economic opportunity across our communities.

Let’s honor Juneteenth not just with words — but with action.

Together,

Kirsten Gillibrand