As the US Federal government and many states demonstrated yesterday, Juneteenth is an important day in American history and now a legal holiday in the US. As you probably know, Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the last African American enslaved people were informed of their freedom in Galveston, Texas. Although we know there is so much work to do in America, I believe there is value in celebrating partial victories. Unfortunately growth and improvement come slowly. I don’t say that because I think we should settle for slow or partial victories. But when we look at societal growth or improvement in hindsight, the results seem so obvious and our frustration with the speed of progress is legitimate and real.
I hope that tomorrow you are able to find a way to use this memory and the significance of Juneteenth to remember this day in our history in a way that gives you hope for the future. I believe we have learned something from the previous 15 months. If so, perhaps tomorrow can be a day to listen, learn, heal and act for racial justice. Many of you will spend the day serving the community, engaging in conversations, attending protests, attending race related lectures and reflecting with family and friends. I cannot think of a better time to consider how we can improve the world in our immediate circle of influence and perhaps beyond. I am grateful to continue to learn about Juneteenth and everything it means. Including the painful reminder that it took two long years for the slaves in Galveston to receive the protections provided by the Thirteenth Amendment.
When it comes to improving the future, we are aggressively putting our social justice hopes into action through our comprehensive Social Justice Initiative. For example, MLA recently awarded through the Chicago Urban League, a $2,500 scholarship and a paid internship experience to an African American rising senior from North Carolina A&T (an HBCU) who plans to attend law school after graduation. This program allow us to provide financial assistance, but equally important, we assist with pipeline development by exposing the winner to a career in legal recruiting as well as mentorship and work experience for her resume.
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