John,

WFP staff are out of the office today in observation of Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery and honors Black freedom and Black resistance.

It was on June 19th, 1865 that Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas — two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation — with news that the enslaved were now free.

On Juneteenth, we don't only celebrate liberation and freedom, we also engage in the difficult work of learning, unlearning, and reflecting on white supremacy’s powerful legacy in the United States.

While Congress just passed legislation to make Juneteenth a national holiday, that will mean little unless it is matched with action. We need to make sure the real history of Juneteenth does not get lost or suppressed. And Congress and this administration must deliver on protecting Black voting rights, transforming the criminal legal system, moving forward on critical reparations legislation, and more.

Reparations are a tangible way for America to divest from white supremacy and invest in Black liberation. If you are interested in learning more, please watch a video recap of this week's teach-in co-hosted by DC WFP, Texas WFP, DefundMPD, Harriet's Wildest Dreams, and In Defense of Black Lives Dallas:

Watch on Facebook

Watch on Instagram

This Juneteenth, we invite everyone, but especially white allies, to recommit to engaging in the work of dismantling white supremacy — and not just for one weekend, but year-round. That includes pushing our elected representatives to go beyond just celebrating the history of Black resistance, and to use their political power to deliver policies that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of Black Americans.

Thanks for joining us in this work and happy Juneteenth!

In solidarity,

All of us at the Working Families Party

P.S. After watching the highlights from the teach-in, here are some other actions you can take this weekend:

• Join the WFP Black Text Team list for updates on Black Text Team events and actions.
• For those in the DC area who want to join the DefundMPD coalition, sign up here.
• And finally, check out the Juneteenth playlist for the teach-in curated by Mercedes Fulbright, Organizing Director of Texas WFP. She's also known as DJ Plexus outside of WFP!

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 (77 Sands St. #6, Brooklyn, NY, 11201).

Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Working Families, please click here.