Happy Juneteenth, Meredith C!
On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers marched to Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and slavery was abolished. Keep in mind — this is more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation and around 250,000 enslaved people had yet to be freed.
And while today is a celebration, it’s also a reminder of how deep racism has penetrated our systems, and how much farther we have to go to achieve true freedom.
When Black mothers are three to four times more likely to die from childbirth than white women, that’s not freedom.
When Black folks are increasingly and disproportionately murdered by police, that’s not freedom.
When Black Americans are suppressed and discouraged from voting, that’s not freedom.
When Black people are locked out of the tech industry, when Black unemployment is almost twice the national average, when Black students are denied equal education opportunities, that’s not freedom.
Let’s not sugarcoat it: racism is alive and well in America. That’s why I’m introducing a resolution to form the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Commission to reflect, embrace, and address the unprecedented diversity and racialized history of the United States.
My Mother grew up in the segregated South. She knew the price of freedom and sacrificed so much so her daughters would have a better life. I hold that inspiration with me wherever I go.
That’s why I co-founded the Black Maternal Health Caucus. That’s why I’m a member of the Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health. That’s why I spend every single day fighting for reproductive freedom, a living wage, affordable housing, and climate change — because I know these issues affect African Americans 10x more than their white counterparts.
I’m fighting as hard as I can to expel racial discrimination from our systems and bring about true emancipation for every person of color. Thanks for fighting with me.
In solidarity,
Barbara Lee
Congresswoman Barbara Lee endorsed a Meredith Etc title: Juvenile Offenders: From Big Wheels to the Big House edited by Rosemary Jenkins.
Meredith Etc 