JUNETEENTH: A FEDERAL HOLIDAY FOR ALL AMERICANS
Juneteenth reminds all Americans that emancipation was necessary, but not sufficient, and how racial injustice continues to shape the lives of Blacks in America.
QUICK READ: Although Juneteenth became America’s newest federal holiday in 2021, many non-Black Americans are unaware of it and its celebration of the end of Black enslavement and hopes for a better future. To commemorate this new holiday Congress must push for that “better future” which, due to insidious racism, still eludes Black people in the United States.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
BACKGROUND
Juneteenth became America’s newest federal holiday in 2021 following 2020’s national protests against police brutality, although, since the late 1800’s, Black Americans have been annually commemorating the end of enslavement and the brief period of freedom that followed.
True freedom has eluded Black Americans because our Constitution and political system were created to advantage enslavers, and the insidious impacts of racism continue to warp our institutions.
* Stereotypes rooted in slavery allow police officers to disproportionately kill Black people and the health care system to provide inadequately care.
* Crushing student debt and a median family income $20,000 less than the average impede homeownership, entrepreneurial activities, and upward mobility.
* Black Americans are incarcerated at five times the rate of white Americans and ¾ were first arrested as juveniles.
All Americans must celebrate Juneteenth to confront the hypocrisies of our founding documents and help create that “better future” to which we all aspire.
In the spirit of Juneteenth, our MoCs can best help create this “better future” by:
* Passing pending voting rights and police reform legislation
* Eliminating the 13th Amendment ‘s loophole allowing mass incarceration and reforming criminal justice
* Urging President Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt without means testing.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
You can best commemorate Juneteenth, our newest federal holiday, by:
* Passing voting rights and police reform legislation languishing in the Senate,
* Eliminating the 13th Amendment’s loophole allowing mass incarceration and reforming criminal justice,
* Urging President Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt without means testing.SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Dem Senators: You can best commemorate Juneteenth, our newest federal holiday, by:
* Passing voting rights and police reform legislation languishing in the Senate,
* Eliminating the 13th Amendment’s loophole allowing mass incarceration and reforming criminal justice,
* Urging President Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt without means testing.Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
The best way to commemorate Juneteenth, our newest federal holiday, is to pass voting rights and police reform legislation languishing in the Senate.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
You can best commemorate Juneteenth, our newest federal holiday, by:
* Eliminating the 13th Amendment’s loophole allowing mass incarceration and passing criminal justice legislation pending in the House,
* Urging President Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt without means testing.Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
You can best commemorate Juneteenth, our newest federal holiday by working to eliminate the 13th Amendment’s loophole allowing mass incarceration and passing criminal justice legislation pending in the House.
Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
You can best commemorate Juneteenth, our newest federal holiday, by:
* Eliminating the 13th Amendment’s loophole allowing mass incarceration and passing criminal justice legislation pending in the House,
* Urging President Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt without means testing.Script for Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
You can best commemorate Juneteenth, our newest federal holiday, by:
* Eliminating the 13th Amendment’s loophole allowing mass incarceration and passing criminal justice legislation pending in the House,
* Urging President Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt without means testing.Script for Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
You can best commemorate Juneteenth, our newest federal holiday, by:
* Eliminating the 13th Amendment’s loophole allowing mass incarceration and passing criminal justice legislation pending in the House,
* Urging President Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt without means testing.ACTION 3: GOOD TROUBLE
GOOD TROUBLE: Below are opportunities to fight for our democracy. As John Lewis said, go make some “good trouble.”
Watch the January 6 Committee's televised hearings.
Demand Justice is working to rebalance the Supreme Court. To get involved in this fight, click here.
TUESDAY 11:30am-12:30pm LETTER WRITING PARTY - INDIVISIBLE OREGON:
https://www.mobilize.us/swingleft/event/442887/Fridays at 4 - Letter and Postcard Writing — Indivisible Oregon.
Learn about persuasive language and communication research at the Zoom ASO Movement Briefings every second Wednesday.
Join the campaign to hold the House and Senate at GiveNoGround.org
Demand that your primary news source stop creating false equivalencies and just report the truth.
Check out the Poor People's Campaign Readies 'Massive, Nonviolent' Effort to Save Democracy
Outside of Portland? Check out COIN Oregon.
Rally inconsisent Democratic voters to vote in 2022 with Progressive Turnout Project | Feb, 2022 | Medium
FURTHER READING:
Juneteenth Is a Day for Cheer – and Unfinished Business
Juneteenth: The History of a New Holiday
Why celebrating Juneteenth is more important now than ever
Juneteenth isn’t just a celebration of freedom. It’s a monument to America’s failures
Democracy in America is a rigged game
The land of the free leads the world in incarceration. Why?
Nearly half of states now recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday
