John –

Today marks the anniversary of independence for the millions of Black Americans who were held in the bondage of slavery. On this day in 1865, a Union general arrived in Galveston, Texas with news that slaves in the former rebel state were free.

This announcement came almost two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation which officially outlawed slavery.

These events gave birth to “Juneteenth,” the oldest commemoration of the abolishment of slavery in the United States and true independence for all Americans.

That history is directly tied to my being elected as the first African American woman from Connecticut to the U.S. Congress. We must keep moving forward, because true freedom will not exist until we have all voices at the table, representing all people.

Today, I am thinking of our ancestors who risked their lives for emancipation, for a change that would reshape generations to come. Today, I am reflecting on my vote in the House to make Juneteenth a federal holiday and my joining President Biden as he signed the bill into law.

Today is a celebration of how far we have come. It is also a reminder of how much more we still have to do.

– Jahana