John xxxxxx, this Sunday is Juneteenth, which marks the day that two years after being signed, news of the Emancipation Proclamation was finally delivered to Galveston, Texas, freeing the last of those enslaved in the United States.

On Juneteenth, communities around the U.S. gather to commemorate this freedom and celebrate Black culture with music, food, art, and dance.

But while we celebrate freedom this Sunday, we must also recommit to the fight for racial justice and equity.

Injustice and disparities against our Black community continue on a daily basis, from being disadvantaged in housing and employment, subjected to police violence, or dealing with threats from the growing white nationalist movement. In 2020, there was a 43% increase in anti-Black hate crimes across the United States. The right-wing is on a campaign to erase Black history, and any attempts to account for our racist past and current systemic racism.

I will stand up for the rights of my Black friends and neighbors, and I am committed to our collective liberation so every family in NY-03 can thrive. That’s why I'm running for Congress — because our communities deserve a champion with the courage to fight for what’s right.

Thanks for joining me in this fight, John xxxxxx. Hoping we all have a chance to get outside and safely enjoy this beautiful holiday weekend with our friends, families, and loved ones!

— Melanie