Even in a "normal" year, Juneteenth is a complicated holiday.

June 19th, the day in 1865 when the last remaining enslaved African Americans received word of their emancipation — two years after Lincoln’s Proclamation was issued — is undoubtedly a cause for celebration. But this anniversary is also an opportunity to reflect on the proverbial original sin of our democracy: that even as our founders declared “all men are created equal”, they allowed millions of Black families to remain subjugated and enslaved.

As our nation continues to struggle with its legacy of institutional racism, we believe the need for leaders who put service first — servant leaders — is greater than ever.

On the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, President Barack Obama said the following:

"The young people here today and listening all across the country...you are America. Unconstrained by habits and convention. Unencumbered by what is, and ready to seize what ought to be. For everywhere in this country, there are first steps to be taken, and new ground to cover, and bridges to be crossed. And it is you, the young and fearless at heart, the most diverse and educated generation in our history, who the nation is waiting to follow."

We’re proud to be supporting a new generation of leaders who are courageously seizing what ought to be, and we’re grateful for your support, in this movement.

If you’re looking for a way to take action in observance of Juneteenth, please consider supporting a group of incredible black candidates whose campaigns we’ve endorsed. These men and women have served our country before through the military and national service opportunities like AmeriCorps, and we’ve made it easy to support each of their campaigns with just a few clicks.