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Cristina Díaz Borda, Digital Content Producer
Dear John,
During the month of June, we see the national commemoration of several movements and communities, like LGBTQ+ Pride and Juneteenth. We also use this time to reflect on what has been done since June of 2020, where there were world-wide protests for Black Lives, conversations on race, and, somewhat empty corporate commitments.
However, as these movements gain awareness and acceptance, we also see them being commercialized and stripped of their original significance. Companies—all too happy to use rainbows, parade appearances, and more to market to LGBTQ+ people—turn around and actively donate campaign funds to politicians who would strip them of their rights. This parallels closely with the beginnings of the commercialization of Juneteenth. Companies that target and sell expired goods in BIPOC communities now sell Juneteenth decor, using commemoration as cover for their exploitation.
This commercialization hides past and present economic injustices and can disconnect many of us from the history that makes our work necessary. And as a majority women, BIPOC-led organization, we have the added work of holding how these issues affect us personally, while needing to show up for our colleagues and our community.
In this newsletter, you’ll read about the parallels between Juneteenth and Pride’s commercialization and how the origins of Juneteenth propel our work. You’ll also learn about how we navigate the challenge of speaking up as an organization when issues can affect us so deeply.
With Love,
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