This year, we are all carrying its weight more heavily.
Dear friend,
Juneteenth is a sacred day: it commemorates the moment in 1865 when the final enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas were told that they were finally, finally free – over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
But beyond that moment, it is a celebration of centuries-long Black resilience and a solemn reflection on the long shadow of injustice in our country.
This year, we are all carrying this weight more heavily as this administration perpetuates the same white supremacy we have always sworn to fight against.
As Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I have been speaking out against the White House’s appalling decision to deploy the National Guard against peaceful protestors – many of them immigrants, Black Americans, and young people demanding justice. Before that, I drew attention to the systematic erasure of Black history from our institutions. The list of this administration’s attacks on Black communities is endless, and so too is my advocacy.
The GOP response each time was swift and vicious: twist my words, post public attacks, and attempt to defang our collective fight for liberation. But I will not be silenced.
On Juneteenth, we remember what happens when power is used to suppress justice. We honor the generations who risked everything to defy their oppressors, even when a brighter future seemed utterly impossible.
That’s why I lead the Congressional Black Caucus in its historic role as the Conscience of Congress. I will never stop carrying the voices of Brooklyn into the halls of Congress. That is the spirit of Juneteenth – it is the work I was sent to do.
Yvette Clarke is the ONLY Black woman representing New York in Washington. As Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, she’s brought together moderates and progressives to pass legislation that helps communities of color, low-income families, immigrants, and more. If you'd like only the most important updates, you can opt for fewer emails here, but if you don't want to keep Yvette proudly representing Brooklyn, you can unsubscribe.
