A National Holiday with Local Significance

Across America, June 19, 2121 will be the most widespread celebration of Juneteenth since its inception. A holiday forged out of the pain of slavery—and recognition of its end—Juneteenth grows each year as more understand its history and importance.

For Floyd Lee Locums, Juneteenth brings a reminder of how far our home city of Charleston, South Carolina has come—and still has yet to go. According to the International African American Museum, nearly half of enslaved Africans brought to America came through Charleston, and nearly 80% of African Americans alive today can trace their ancestry to someone who arrived in Charleston.

Remembering and reconciling the past is a journey each of us is on. While slavery may have ended on paper, inequality and inequity persist throughout America in criminal justice, income, housing, and what is felt so personally for us, in healthcare. That’s why when we opened our doors four years ago, a key tenet of our mission was to place talented physicians and clinicians in communities where they were most needed.

But reaching a more-equal America is a long road and takes all of us. It has been just over a year since George Floyd’s murder, and still 2021 alone has seen far too many of our Black friends, family and community members taken from us too soon.

Every day—but especially Juneteenth—is a day to reflect, honor, and recommit ourselves to fighting for a better, more just nation. If you’re someone who marches, march. If you’re someone doesn’t know where to start, consider donating to or reading about organizations like Color of Change.

Advocacy comes in all forms. You can spend money at Black owned businesses, support Black artists and musicians, volunteer at a voter registration drive, put up ally signs in your home and workplace, join the board of a non-profit dedicated to equal rights and protections, start an inclusive Employee Resource Group at your company, and so much more.

But you can also just immerse yourself in Black spaces. For us, that is at the Juneteenth Freedom Fest on June 19 here in Charleston. We encourage you to search for similar events happening in your area.

I wish you a wonderful Juneteenth, filled with love and remembrance.