Juneteenth ✊🏿, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Texas. At our organization, we value diversity and inclusivity, and this Juneteenth, we wanted to highlight the personal perspectives and feelings of our diverse team of employees regarding this year’s theme of Wave of Freedom.
We captured some unique perspectives and heartfelt responses that shed light on the impact of Juneteenth on our community. Through these reflections, we hope to emphasize the need for ongoing progress in the pursuit of equality and justice.
In this blog series, we invite you to join us in amplifying these voices, fostering understanding, and promoting dialogue about our shared history. Let us honor the struggles and triumphs of the past while working towards a future where equality, justice, and freedom prevail for all.
Happy Juneteenth!
What does Juneteenth mean to you personally?
Isaiah
Freedom. Technically, it’s a day to celebrate legal freedom but to me it was the continuation of a mental freedom that enslaved people started long before a proclamation. The resilience of enslaved people to mentally escape the inhumane conditions of starvation, constant acts of violence, and active dismantling of their families through singing spirituals, envisioning a better place after death, and jumping a broom to signify the family will remain connected regardless of who tried to separate it. While physical freedom was never achieved by many, they secured mental freedom without requiring someone to give it to them. Their strength lies in finding it despite others and not necessarily because of others. This is the legacy that Juneteenth represents for me.
Aisha
When I think of Juneteenth, I think of liberation. Not just in the literal sense given the commemoration of physical liberation from enslavement, but I also think of it as mental, emotional, and spiritual liberation. An opportunity to continue to be on an individual and collective journey, to free ourselves from narratives and systems that do not serve us, or add value to our wellbeing. And to be intentional and thoughtful about how we give grace and liberation to others in our relationships and communities at-large, across lines of difference.
Heather
To me, it is a celebration of victory. Though we are still continuing on our journey of racial equity and justice, the commencement of this freedom day feels momentous and deserved. It’s nice to have holidays that I can actually believe in and stand behind, holidays that bring impact and change.
What does Juneteenth mean to you, particularly in light of the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and the anti-racist protest movement that continues to evolve as part of the national outcry?
Isaiah
Juneteenth is a chance for us to reflect on systemic barriers to being free to work, live, play, and rest in your own skin. One of the biggest barriers is the visible and invisible ways racism shows up and creates emotional burdens and harm for Black people and others. Juneteenth gives us a chance to honestly reflect on how these systemic barriers lead to physical death of Black people, and a slower death through substance use, a mentality of nonstop work without rest, and stigma around getting help for mental health challenges. It is not enough to stop racism, but we have to actively act against it by repairing the harm it has caused and building a more compassionate society. This includes systems being held accountable for how they address racism and other systemic barriers. This is the movement I’m hoping Juneteenth sparks.
Aisha
Juneteenth is an opportunity for us to pause, to examine, and to listen. It is not only a commemoration but it is also an invitation to decide how we continue to do better and be better, how we choose growth over guilt, and how we strive for curiosity over judgement. We are arguably living in unprecedented times in the age of social media and almost instantaneous access to things that have historically been happening, but that people now have a different level of access to. It can be overwhelming and confusing for the first time to some, and in a new way to others. I choose to continue to remain hopeful that we will take advantage of the opportunity, to not only honor the Black lives of those lost, but decide what shifts we will make in our everyday lives that move us towards systems change and collective liberation.
Heather
Juneteenth emphasizes both the joy of progress and the mourning of those who have been left behind. I believe it is important to use this holiday to reflect on those who have been lost due to unjust police violence or lack of accountability. We must continue to push for systematic change in our Police Unions and defund the equipment and gear that creates so much fear and destruction.
In what ways can we ensure that Juneteenth is more than just a symbolic observance, but also a catalyst for meaningful change and progress?
Isaiah
Juneteenth being recognized as a federal holiday provides a unique opportunity for us to have an honest conversation about a painful part of our history. Slavery can be dismissed as a relic of the past and not relevant for how the descendants of slaves and society operate today. This couldn’t be further from the truth because our past, regardless of what it is, shapes our present. It’s by understanding our past that we empower ourselves to build a better future. Using Juneteenth to ask ourselves personally how we are honoring the sacrifices of those who fought for freedom and ensuring that physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain caused in the ongoing fight for freedom is alleviated is an important first step. The next step is to challenge and inspire the people and systems around us to do the same while taking action to move toward this better future.
Aisha
I think this sometimes feels like a hard question to answer as a Black woman in America. The way I want to move beyond symbolic observance to catalytic change is vehemently striving towards joy and liberation, even if the face of pain, confusion, and frustration. And showing up in my relationships and community accordingly, while also giving folks space to feel exactly how they feel. Returning to my agency and making decisions from that place. Reminding myself that I always have a choice, and my choice is to choose hope.
Heather
iOpening is honestly the place where I can work to make that change happen. We focus on diversity, inclusivity, equity, and love in all the work we do. I feel proud of the work we do in both creating more inclusive workplaces and promoting black voices.
Have you encountered any challenges or misconceptions related to Juneteenth? How do you think we can address them?
Isaiah
Sometimes people feel Juneteenth is about how slavery impacted Black people. It is important to understand that slavery impacted everyone because it created a perception that Black people are inherently inferior to others. If we are not actively paying attention to how this shows up, that perception seeps into the jokes we tell, the messages parents unknowingly teach their children, and how we define success in school, work, and life. Juneteenth gives us a chance to reset this narrative by helping people see this holiday as relevant for everyone to be more self-aware about how we ensure that everyone is viewed as truly equal and their full humanity honored.
Aisha
I have not personally encountered challenges or misconceptions that directly impact me, but I have seen the challenge with marketing and branding in the consumer world around leveraging this holiday. I hope we can continue to focus on the root of this holiday which is commemoration, and not exploitation. I think we can continue to approach this holiday with curiosity and with the utmost of care as we move towards more recent commemoration across the country.
Heather
The only misconceptions I have seen are media related. Some media personalities choose to portray this holiday as unnecessary and ‘pandering’. It’s gross and racist and it is incredibly frustrating to see views like this be platformed. Thankfully, as far as I have seen, these opinions have been in the minority.
How do you plan on celebrating?!
Isaiah
I love to eat. I’m planning to make some Junteenth inspired dishes. I’m also going to use it as a day to rejuvenate myself and encourage others from historically oppressed communities to rest. Part of the freedom that Juneteenth represents is shifting minds and beliefs to know that a person’s value is in their humanity and not just what they do. I plan to honor that for myself and encourage others to do the same.
Aisha
My plan is to go to a Juneteenth celebration in the park in my beautiful neighborhood of Harlem, NY and allow myself to feel unapologetic joy with the people around me.
Heather
I am spending time with my family and joining a local neighborhood celebration!
