Juneteenth serves as a poignant reminder of the cultural roots of oppression. It goes beyond the actions of enslavers to encompass the culture of communal silence post-slavery.
As a B1ack immigrant woman, addressing discrimination broadly is sometimes more comfortable than confronting racism, sexism, or xenophobia specifically because the burden of identifying the trigger for unfair treatment in the workplace often falls on me. Is it my race, gender, or national origin? How does one even begin to unravel this complex question? And why should this be my question to answer?
In my journey, I've learned that bigotry always reveals itself, especially when you exist on society's margins. This ability to spot bigots has become a unique skill in itself, a gift in disguise!
The Union Troops' arrival in Galveston, Texas, marked a pivotal moment by breaking the silence on ongoing enslavement's illegality and setting the enslaved people free. We can all draw inspiration from these courageous soldiers. Discrimination thrives in the absence of active voices. Let's be champions of justice and fairness. Stand up against discrimination and unfairness!
#HappyJuneteenth #FairnessandEqualityForAll