Juneteenth Holiday and Remembrance 2022
“Today on Juneteenth, the day we celebrate the end of slavery, the day we memorialize those who offered us hope for the future and the day when we renew our commitment to the struggle for freedom.”
—Angela Davis
For another year, Birch Family Services is proud to observe Juneteenth as a holiday, but also as a day of remembrance. As you may know, Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, commemorates the end of slavery in Texas, the last state to do so in the confederacy on June 19, 1865. In February of this year, South Dakota became the last state to recognize Juneteenth as an annual state holiday or observance.
Juneteenth begs us to reflect and improve. It is another opportunity to educate ourselves, listen, and learn from people’s experiences so we can do better and be better. It is inspirational to see staff in our schools using various literature and materials to educate our children and each other about this important day in our history. Today, let us reflect upon what we can all do to continue the fight for equality, inclusion, and justice for all. Think about what we can be doing to make our organization stronger in this fight.
This important day in the history of our nation will be observed across all of Birch’s program divisions. We encourage our individuals, families, and staff to honor this holiday by participating in Juneteenth events, engaging in educational resources, supporting local black-owned businesses, and taking the time to reconnect with your community.
Thank you to everyone for all you do every day for your continued commitment to the people we support. Thank you for being part of our community committed to the empowerment of those we support and work with us. Below you can find a list of educational resources and events dedicated to furthering education and conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Matt Sturiale
President & CEO
Birch Family Services
Events
- https://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/a-guide-to-this-years-best-juneteenth-events-in-nyc
- https://www.thrillist.com/events/new-york/celebrate-juneteenth-nyc-events
- https://www.juneteenthny.com/
- Juneteenth Soundstage: Alphonso Horne and the Gotham Kings (virtual)
Web
- https://nmaahc.si.edu/juneteenth
- https://www.juneteenth.com/
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/juneteenth
- https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth
- https://www.pbs.org/show/juneteenth-jamboree/
- https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/teaching-juneteenth
- https://www.teachforamerica.org/celebrate-juneteenth