John,
On this day in 1865, slavery officially ended when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were finally liberated -- two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Each year, on the 19th of June, we celebrate Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day.
I am proud that as of this week, Juneteenth is a federal holiday. This is a critical step at the national level toward honoring suffering that so many in our community still fight against. But it isn't enough.
Black Americans have always had to fight for true equality in a country set up to shut them out. We can't let them fight alone. We must recognize the history of our country, our own privilege, and work for a better future.
Juneteenth isn't a day off for me. It's a day to recognize the incredible contributions Black Americans have made to our country, from politics, activism, art, music, and science to sports, literature, health care, and more.
It's also a day to make change, and I urge you to join me. Take the time to sign petitions, amplify Black voices, donate to Black-led organizations, shop at Black-owned businesses, join racial justice demonstrations, demand accountability, and support legislation that promotes equal opportunity and justice for all.
Systemic racism is not the Black community's problem -- it is an American problem. It's on all of us to take the time to remember the injustices of our country's past and how it informs our present, and commit to building a better and more equal future.
Thank you,
Diana
| Paid for by Diana DeGette for Congress, Edgar Neel, Treasurer |
Diana DeGette for Congress
PO Box 61337
CO
Denver CO 80206 United States
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