The value and purpose of Juneteenth is accountability. A day where we look back to see how far we’ve come and look forward to see how far we still must go. This new federal holiday does not change systemic racism nor the impact it has every day on millions of people in this country… no holiday has that power. What this inaugural holiday did show us though is that it is possible to create a change in our national agenda – it is possible for systemic power to use that power to enact policy and process change. It is possible for a nation to respond to that change in less than 48 hours – companies can change work schedules, media can focus on disseminating information on policy change without delay, people can show up to community events that they’ve never attended, donations can be made to help support artists and community centers and those who are struggling… Juneteenth is about commemorating the past and it can be about celebrating our collective future. Do the work today. Do the work tomorrow. Turn intention into action. That is what Juneteenth is about.
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