Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights An Invitation to Celebrate Juneteenth

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” Harriet Tubman

Dear Colleagues,

In her recent all employee message, Secretary Haaland invited DOI employees to make Juneteenth “a day for us to commit together to eradicate the enduring system of racism and address slavery’s intergenerational impacts.” Although the day itself has passed, we invite you to celebrate the spirit of Juneteenth by embracing the Secretary’s call for collective commitment.

Commemorating Juneteenth is an opportunity to celebrate freedom, education and achievement and acknowledge the ongoing struggles faced by the African American community. The disproportionate impact of mass incarceration, discriminatory housing policies, and a lack of educational and economic investment in communities, along with the acts of violence and racial profiling incidents that continue to capture national attention, shows that while the African American community has made progress over the past 150 years, considerable barriers continue to impede that progress.

In cities across the United States, people of all races and ethnicities continue to commemorate Juneteenth with celebrations and conversations to learn about the African American experience. Juneteenth is a time for families and friends to come together, break bread, and honor ancestors. As Diversity Advocates, you can be leaders within DOI in sharing facts about Black history, discussing historical events and acknowledging the ongoing fight for civil rights and equity. Celebrating the end of slavery in 1865 need not just occur on one day. I encourage you to continue to educate yourself and others around you about ways to achieve the broader vision of freedom. You can start by visiting DOI’s historical sites dedicated to remembering the fight against slavery in the United States.

Erica D. White-Dunston, Esq. Director, Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights | Principal Diversity Officer