Hola friend,

Today is June 19th, or Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the emancipation of the last enslaved Black people, almost 2 ½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation had formally declared all slaves to be free.

One hundred and fifty-six years later, this Juneteenth takes on additional significance as Black people’s struggle for justice continues and their access to true freedom continues to be denied by institutions steeped in systemic violence and white supremacy.

Over the last year, the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and the pandemic of anti-Black racism have resulted in a national call to action for change.

Voting and seeing my name on the ballot on this historic day is both a celebration of the legacy of Juneteenth, recognizing the transformation and challenges of the past, while focusing on the road forward with hope and possibility. My candidacy — and this campaign — have been a clarion call for a new “social contract” that dismantles historic inequities and establishes a new paradigm for justice.

I’m honored to continue to call for collective transformation that moves us toward creating an inclusive New York — and moves us closer to the possibility of living up to the rhetoric of being the greatest city in the world.

Pa'lante, in solidarity,

Dianne