5 Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth — In Your Company and Your Community

Today is Juneteenth! Whether you’re celebrating this national holiday today, observing it as a company with a day off tomorrow, or just want to learn more about the meaning of Juneteenth, here are a few ideas for how to mark the holiday in your organization and your community:?

1. Know what you're celebrating, and make sure your colleagues do too:?

“Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth marks the moment in United States’ history — June 19, 1865 — when the remaining 250,000 enslaved African Americans in Confederate states were legally declared free two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. In the century-and-a half since, the Juneteenth holiday represents a time to gather with family and community, honor the present and reflect on shared history and tradition.”

-From the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture

2. Enjoy some delicious barbeque and red foods, both traditional to the holiday. Read more about why these foods are related to Freedom Day here.?

3. Support Black-owned businesses in your community — on this weekend and throughout the year! Many communities have resources to find local Black-owned businesses, and CNN compiled some national recommendations, including the following:

• Black Owned Everything hosts a space where Black brands can be "celebrated and validated." The site features products from beauty, lifestyle, clothing, and accessory brands created by Black designers.
• EatOkra connects consumers with Black-owned eateries in cities across the US. EatOkra seeks to enable "consumers to claim their power as conscious buyers and discover a rich food culture while helping Black owners gain brand awareness and grow their businesses."

4. Take part in Juneteenth Programming in your city or online. From concerts to lectures to community gatherings, there are tons of ways to take part in local celebrations happening today, tomorrow, and beyond.?

5. Be active and proactive. As Ella F. Washington and Jasmine Sanders wrote in this fantastic piece in the Harvard Business Review, “While acknowledging Juneteenth as a paid company holiday is certainly a step in the right direction, it is not enough. Much like Martin Luther King’s Day of Service, Juneteenth should be honored as a ‘day on, not a day off.’” Whether you take part in community service, make a donation, or read a book or watch a documentary on the topic, please set aside some time today to deepen your commitment to and understanding of Black history and liberation.