Observing Juneteenth: A Day of Reflection, Celebration and Commitment to Justice

By Evan Cowdery | Jun 19 2024

This Wednesday, June 19, our Spectrum offices will be closed in observance of Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. We are honored to take part in the remembrance and celebration of the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans, the last of whom were freed by Union troops in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865.

While some holidays are celebrated more in symbolic remembrance of a singular event, we honor and celebrate Juneteenth both for its past and for the history that is made every day as Black Americans continue to flourish with strength and perseverance in the face of modern injustices across our social, professional, and political spheres. Juneteenth is also important to us as our legal system continues to allow the loophole of the 13th Amendment to use involuntary servitude as a form of punishment in our prison systems which disproportionately affect Black Americans, often unfairly and without due process.

Some of the greatest change can happen from personal growth and responsibility. We invite you all to join us in doing more than not being racist, but also being anti racist and confronting, condoning, and chastising forms of racism whenever and wherever capable. There are several ways you can get involved, including supporting Black-owned businesses and non-profits, attending open community events, and volunteering. For donations, see below for some organizations to consider:

Bail Funds (Donations go toward paying bail/bond to release protestors jailed in states with bail/bond systems)

https://bailproject.org/donate/

https://www.nationalbailout.org/

Community Restoration (Donations go toward helping rebuild or enrich Black communities)

https://www.mutualaidhub.org/

https://1619education.org/about-1619-project/get-involved

Policy Reform (Donations go toward organizations aiming to overturn systematically racist policies)

https://www.aclu.org/issues/racial-justice

https://colorofchange.org/

https://antiracismfund.org/