Friend,

This Juneteenth marks 160 years since the news of the Emancipation Proclamation — which ended slavery in the United States — finally reached the last group of enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas.

Today, I’m reflecting on how far our fight for Black freedom and equality has come, and how much work we still have to do if we want to build a more just, more equitable world for the next generation.

When my mom encouraged me to run for Congress, she said, “If your generation doesn't stand up and fight, we stand to lose the progress my generation worked for.” And she was right.

Now, I’m proud to be serving as the first Black U.S. Representative from Oregon, and fighting everyday in Congress against the current attacks on our freedoms.

So today, I hope you’ll join me in celebrating how far we’ve come in our fight for justice and equality. And tomorrow, we will continue the fight.

Thank you,

Janelle