On June 19, 1865, the last enslaved Black Americans were freed in Galveston, Texas. It took more than two years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln for the immoral bondage of Black Americans to cease. Juneteeth is the celebration of human freedom. In our observance, it is the opportunity for each of us to declare allyship.
I will tell you what allyship means to me. I would love to hear what it means to you. It is in thoughtful dialogue that we create space to learn and move towards solidarity and away from divisiveness. Allyship to me is standing in unity and awareness of marginalized groups, particularly when in a position of privilege. What would the world look like if we all prioritized learning about, listening to, and engaging in the diversity around us?
After I watched Ava DuVernay’s 13th documentary I reflected on the sad reality of how race, justice, and mass incarceration intersect and the fact that there are decades upon decades of perpetual systematic racism that plague our society and our justice system. I also listened to Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and subsequently watched the movie to delve further into examples of injustice. Learning is just half of the battle. Knowledge is only power when it is acted upon.
Action for me was engaging in dialogue with the Black American community around me on what their experiences are today and normalizing race conversations. It was me promoting and supporting Black-owned businesses such as my friend Tammi Relyea’s fashion company, BRA-sériē (https://www.braserie.com/). It was me sharing, and reflecting on my learnings, especially with those who have more questions than information, and staying informed by listening to podcasts such as the ones found here: https://www.learningforjustice.org/podcasts.
How did you celebrate Juneteenth? What does allyship mean to you? It is possible for us to re-write history, but like my Golden State Warriors who just won their 7th NBA championship – it’s strength in numbers that make all the difference.
One response
I really appreciate this post. As the mother of a biracial daughter I am profoundly aware of the responsibility I have in educating my her about the injustice black people face in America. I make sure to surround her with people, art, books, and toys that reflect her skin as well as all the other skin tones we see in our world. We spent Juneteenth at Jackie’s Place (https://www.jackiesplacesj.com/) which is a women led, family run, black owned business. The bbq is AMAZING and they have been a fixture in our community since 1998. I work on listening and educating myself about the inequalities that exist in America and around the world. My hope is that I can learn how to be a better person and raise my daughter to be kind, inclusive, and passionate.