Juneteenth
Understanding the Communities Around Us
Written by Morgan Draper
What is Juneteenth?
June is a busy time for most of us as school ends and summer begins, but it is also a time of increased importance for the minorities in our community. Most of us are aware of June being identified as pride month for the LGBTQ+ community, however, it was not until recently that people have been paying more attention to the holiday that occurs on the nineteenth of June, better known as Juneteenth. Though it has been getting more attention most people are not sure what the holiday represents or what Juneteenth is, and what all does it entail?
Juneteenth, otherwise known as Freedom Day, marks the time when slaves were freed and slavery officially ended in the United States. It is a holiday that has traditionally been recognized by those in the Black community and as of June 17, 2021 is currently federally recognized as an annual holiday. This day is important not only for those in this community, but individuals all over the world who are still struggling with various forms of persecution, oppression, and victimization that have been imposed onto them by the dominant group. Though everyone in the United States can technically be considered free as written in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, many do not have the same liberties as others though they are legally supposed to. Equality still does not exist here in the United States, nor does the freedom to pursue it as minorities continue to experience prejudice, racism, and discrimination regularly. True freedom cannot exist when racism continues to be present in our Country with no clear, definitive end in sight. Fortunately, all hope is not lost. Change is possible and it begins within us.
“Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory or an acceptance of the way things are. It’s a celebration of progress. It’s an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possible—and there is still so much work to do.”
— Barack Obama
Understanding One’s Views, Beliefs, and Biases
We each have our perception of not only the world around us but also the people who inhabit it along beside us. These perceptions can be positive or negative depending on the views, beliefs, and biases one has developed. How we were raised, where we were raised, the people who raised us, as well as who we associated with have influenced the development of belief systems. Though many factors contribute to how these are formed, the ability to develop an understanding of others is one factor necessary to work towards change.
With the heated political climate that we have all experienced the past several years, and the increased frustration at our government system it can be challenging to make room in our lives for understanding. Instead of understanding, our perceptions begin to rule over our lives. When this occurs, it can be difficult to see the perceptions of those around us as we become blinded by our own opinions. This can cause walls of defenses to build up, keeping out anyone who is different or does not fit the mold of the views we have established. These walls may keep the noise out, but ultimately they block the ability to empathize with your fellow man. Often these individuals are simply perceived to be closed-minded because it seems they do not want to change nor are they able to. This leads us to feel that we do not have the energy to try and help them to understand and initial change. So, what is it we can do? How can we make our voices be heard by those who have gone deaf to it all or who are not hearing our cry? How do we reach those who have become desensitized as the hate, and brutality that is occurring all around us is seen as being a regular part of daily life? The first step is understanding where our values, beliefs, and biases lie, and why we hold these types of perceptions. We may not be able to help build understanding for others, but we can always work on building a place of compassion, empathy, and awareness within ourselves.
As someone biracial, I have often felt that I was standing on the outside looking in, unsure where my place is or if I should even have a place. Do I belong in this fight, and how can I contribute to the cause? This was my experience when I went to one of the first Black Lives Matter protests in my city after the murder of George Floyd. Though I am a deep-rooted activist, I looked around and felt as though I was an outsider, and I knew this was coming from a place deep within me. No one was making me feel this way. It was a feeling I had acquired throughout the span of my life. From this, I came to understand my own perceptions revolving around the current climate in the Black community, making me realize the privilege I had been able to experience due to being biracial and not being identified as Black by those around me. Coming to this realization has been a difficult process for me, but at the same time, it has helped me become a better ally towards my friends, family, and others within the Black community. It has helped me develop a better understanding of the differences between my experience as a biracial person versus the experiences of those in this community. My perceptions are continuing to develop throughout this journey, and I hope they do not stop growing as I become more able to understand those around me.
“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.”
— Toni Morrison
How to Become Culturally Aware
Now that you are at a point where you feel that you understand your own perceptions and where they have come from, how can you either build from them or work around them to become more culturally aware of those around you? One of the biggest issues I’ve noticed recently is the Black Lives Matter movement being argued with the notion of All Lives Matter. An expression of support for one always leads to an argument about the significance of the other. How can it be argued that all lives matter when Black lives, and many minorities’ lives, have been disproportionately treated to those of the majority group? Of course, we can yell and explain, “they matter because Black people have been freed”, and so on, but the numbers do not lie. Statistically, minorities are victimized, brutalized, and institutionalized more often for the same situations, crimes, and illnesses compared to those in the majority group. This does not only include those within the Black community, but also other minority groups, as well as women, the elderly, and those who identify as LGBTQ+. What can we do to work against this? Now that we have worked through recognizing our perceptions it is time to build up an understanding of those around us, which primarily involves us becoming more culturally aware.
Culture is a big topic of discussion, especially in the United States, as we get to experience people who may be different than us whether it be a difference in religion, ethnicity, race, sexuality, etc. It can be difficult to know where to start or how to become more involved with different groups than what we have become accustomed to. Understanding events and holidays such as Juneteenth is an important part of cultural awareness, as it allows us opportunities to learn more about those around us. After you have come to better understand your own perceptions, developing awareness is a good place to start as you can focus on understanding those of the people within your community. This is a length and important process, and unfortunately a journey most of us end up walking alone. Change is never easy, but usually, the best things in life never are.
“Whether it’s freedom to express, freedom to live, freedom to earn, freedom to thrive, freedom to learn, whatever it is, I want to make sure that I’m a part of these spaces and opening doors.”
— Angela Rye
Since the publishing of this blog, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have signed a law establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. President Biden remarks:
“Today, we consecrate Juneteenth for what it ought to be, what it must be: a national holiday. As the Vice President noted, a holiday that will join the others of our national celebrations: our independence, our laborers who built this nation, our servicemen and women who served and died in its defense. And the first new national holiday since the creation of Martin Luther King Holiday nearly four decades ago.”
