What Juneteenth Means to Us

With regard to Juniteenth, we asked Bluescapers what this day, which is now a national holiday, means to them.

What does Juniteenth mean to you?

“June is a reminder of our dark past and a celebration of our collective ability to overcome. It means we have come a long way, but we can and must continue the struggle for true equality and justice for all if we are to live up to the ideals set out in our founding documents. “

“Slavery is a legacy that follows us every day, but it makes sense to take a specific day to reflect on its future role in our lives. And perhaps most importantly, it’s a day to envision another future. My family is using this (now federal) holiday to campaign for a community that is making more space for black art, black business, black music, black writing, black property, and black joy. “

“June is a reminder that not all history lessons are taught in school and that we need to learn about history that is sometimes overlooked. I didn’t really get to know Juneteenth until I was an adult, and I heard from colleagues who had similar experiences. It takes all of us to pass the story on to the next generation. “

“For me, June is one way in which we can see that not everyone in this country got off to a fair start. Juniteenth is the day we began living up to our truest values ​​as a nation that all human beings are created equal. It is the day when freedom and freedom were really given to EVERYONE. “

“For me, Juneteenth is both a day to celebrate the freedom of enslaved African Americans and a day to reflect on America and our long-term struggle for a better country with justice, justice and equality for all.”

“As a Canadian, Juneteenth doesn’t have the same cultural resonance to me as it does to many Americans, but it’s still a powerful reminder that we can’t afford the luxury of forgetting the mistakes of our ancestors. We are doing ourselves and anyone else a disservice by focusing on past glories and forgetting about shameful events. Only when we remember the ugliness of our past can we hope to rise above our origins. “

“As a management team, it was important to us to make Juneteenth an official Bluescape holiday. We went a step further and felt it was important to educate our company about the history and importance of Juneteenth and provide a platform in the form of company vacation to pass that knowledge on to each of our communities.

“As the saying goes, with great knowledge comes great responsibility. On Friday morning when my three boys (ages 12, 9, and 6) wake up to find that I’m not at work and ask why, I’ll start educating them about June 10th. I will walk you through the historical timeline with you so that you understand the importance of Juneteenth. I’ll talk to them about what I think of Juneteenth – about my disappointment with my own upbringing, since I didn’t know about Juneteenth’s existence until last year. Most importantly, I will talk to them about what I expect from them as young men and how I expect them to treat everyone. “