Happy Independence Day! As always, I take this day to celebrate and reflect on how great this country is and how proud I am to serve it in the United States Congress.

I’ve always commemorated July 4th, but this year the holiday is even more meaningful to me. With the official establishment of Juneteenth as a national holiday just a few weeks before Independence Day, I feel even more patriotic today.

This country is not perfect; it wasn’t perfect when it was founded and it’s not perfect today. What makes this country so special it it’s ability to overcome and get better. And that change comes from within, from citizens who are determined to create a more equal and fair society.

Juneteenth — which commemorates notifying Texas slaves they were emancipated — reminds me today of the progress we have made. Slavery was legal for nearly 100 years in America and existed for much longer.

We overcame an inhumane system that was entrenched within our society. People living during that time would be stunned to see how far we’ve come since then.

Racial injustice still lingers today, in our criminal justice system, in our health care system, in our access to voting. But I’m confident that the country that overcame slavery can also overcome the racist policies we experience today.

It will be hard work, but we can succeed if we work together.

Always fighting,
— Hank Johnson