Juneteenth rallies widen, resonate

Juneteenth is now a holiday for hundreds of companies. What else can they do to act on their statements of antiracism? #BusinessUnusual

Yesterday morning on my personal FB page I started to just post a quick, “Happy Juneteenth”. Instead, I explained the history of the holiday in 1865. I am a native Texan where Juneteenth is a MAJOR celebration. We are also in an environment rich with opportunity for people to listen differently to the Black experience. I added a comment on the passing of the US Civil Rights Act 1964 and Voting Rights Act 1965. The timeline alone should captivate one's attention about the systems that have been in place for Black Americans. Confronting racism is hard. It's uncomfortable. It can be painful. I have many friends who do not think systemic racism exists today and in some form or another I have said, "Truth is uncomfortable. It takes courage to face that uncomfortable truth rather than disparage it." Some of them block me on FB, avoid me at church or just avoid. But I cannot stop speaking my truth. For the friends I have, I am asking that they take a look at the chart shared with me by a friend. It outlines growth becoming anti-racist and what can be a conversation starter. We all have unconscious biases. The key is to keep growing, recognizing those biases, how they inform our choices and adjust. I am still growing and uncomfortable with the truth.#blacklivesmatter

Our challenge is to take these good intentions - sending statements of solidarity and making Juneteenth a holiday - and transform them into legacy actions. Hire Black lawyers. Train Black lawyers. Promote Black lawyers. Transform words into actions.

Today, we observe #Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865, slavery officially ended in America despite the Emancipation Proclamation being put into place more than two years earlier. This is an extremely important day in our country’s history but it still isn’t receiving proper recognition. Sign a petition to make Juneteenth a national holiday. Continue to educate yourself and others on Black civil rights issues in America. Read more. Watch more. Listen more. Learn more. Nobody is free until everybody is free.

This #Juneteenth, commit to reading, watching, or listening in order to learn how to better be an inclusive leader and strong ally to Black colleagues. This list from Catalyst Inc. includes resources that can help you lead, connect across differences, and build a common understanding of #equality. Great addition to anyone’s bookmarks (or bookshelves!). #allyship

Today is a paid company holiday for employees at Nike, Twitter, Target, General Motors, the National Football League (NFL) and a variety of other businesses. This year, companies big and small decided to recognize #Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the end of slavery. Since George Floyd’s killing late last month, businesses of all kinds have donated millions of dollars to organizations dedicated to racial justice or vowed to change their office cultures to be more inclusive. But some have gone further, announcing intentions to make concrete changes inside their own institutions or in how they do business. Today in The New York Times, a list of some of the promises made:

Today is Juneteenth. Maybe you have the day off from work. Maybe you didn't even know it was a holiday. What is Juneteenth all about, and why is it getting so much attention this year? Here's a brief guide from Derrick Bryson Taylor at The New York Times. https://lnkd.in/gTDViuN

?? Before attending the #celebrations. Before applauding companies for declaring this day as a paid holiday. Before giving a sigh of relief that President Trump decided to move his political rally to the 20th - (simply a day later) as a sign of respect, LET US ALL UNDERSTAND the #historical significance of #JUNETEENTH (JUNE 19TH) for African Americans, descendants of American #Slaves, and Black individuals worldwide!! #juneteenth #americanhistory #africanamerican #salevery #blacklivesmatter #humanityfirst #knowyourhistory

Reflections on Juneteenth As I reflect on #Juneteenth, I think about that day in 1865 when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and that those enslaved were now free. This more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. I also think about my Great Great Grandmother Hattie Mae, who was born in 1885 – 20 years after Juneteenth – and lived to be 105. She experienced many historic moments, including the Flu Pandemic of 1918, women earning the right to vote, both World Wars, the Civil Rights Movement and even the dawn of the digital age. I remember her telling us grandkids, “There are a few things in life worth fighting for: Family, friends, faith, freedom and an education.” Her wise words connect us to the reason we commemorate Juneteenth and the freedom of all slaves. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, we remember those who were freed that day in 1865, as well as commit to doing the hard and uncomfortable work of dismantling systemic racism. We all have a role to play in this fight. And on this Juneteenth, I challenge all of us – in addition to our celebrations and commemorations – to use our individual and collective impact to create racial equity and social justice for us and generations to come.