John,

This Saturday marks my four year anniversary with DFA, and I’m as moved by
the work we have to do as the work we've already done.

As Black descendants of enslaved folk, we come to work in White-dominated
spaces with a certain amount of caution, trepidation and unsettling
expectations.

This too was my experience when I arrived here, at DFA, and not long after
my start date I would be forced to confront one of those unsettling
expectations.

When I learned we got July 4th off as a holiday, I uncomfortably asked if
the organization also closed for Juneteenth. Not only was the answer no,
but almost no one on staff had even heard of this critically important day
in celebration of Black liberation.

DFA did not close for Juneteenth that year, but that was the last year we
didn’t recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. The education of our staff about
the important date became another lesson in our equity-focused meetings
and book club. For the past three years, I’m proud to say that DFA has
celebrated Juneteenth and it's rewarding that other organizations,
nonprofits and even corporations are starting to do the same.

But it's not enough. It is beyond time for America to recognize Juneteenth
as a national holiday: [ [link removed] ]Sign our petition calling on Congress to make
Juneteenth a national holiday >>

Juneteenth is a holiday that marks the true end of human slavery in this
country. While many believe that slavery ended in 1863, when Abraham
Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, for too many Black people
that were enslaved, this was not the case.

Plantation owners, slavers in Galveston, TX didn’t free those that were
enslaved until June 19th 1865, more than two years after the signing of
the Emancipation Proclamation.

The fact is, a national holiday recognizing Juneteenth is not only past
due as a way to honor the sacrifice and celebrate the liberation of Black
Americans, it would also be an important acknowledgement -- at the highest
levels of this country -- that the long suffering of slavery went well
beyond the end of the Civil War.

[ [link removed] ]Add your name to our petition calling on Congress to make Juneteenth a
national holiday now >>

[ [link removed] ]ADD YOUR NAME

The fight against white supremacy and structural racism built into
American institutions must not focus only on police accountability and
reforming criminal justice.

By making Juneteenth a federal holiday, America has the opportunity to
recognize, honor and celebrate the freedom of Black Americans without
white washing the history it took to get there.

Never again would a Black person show up to any job and hear about offices
closed on the 4th of July for independence, but not Juneteenth for Black
independence.

Thank you for standing together in fighting for racial justice and
structural change.

— Mondale

Mondale Robinson
Political Director, DFA
Founder, Black Male Voter Project




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