Juneteenth Should Be a National Holiday

Juneteenth symbolizes freedom, celebrates the abolishment of slavery, and reminds all Americans of the significant contributions of African Americans to our society. Our nation has a long way to go to undo the injustices that has impacted the descendants of enslaved African Americans, and honoring Juneteenth as a federal holiday would be a step forward in supporting our Black community.

We have uploaded anti-racism resources on our website for artists and arts organizations to consider in their own practices. Arts and culture practices are among the most impactful ways to effect social change, explore racial and ethnic representations, reflect a community’s history and identity, and provide an opportunity to engage diverse audiences in transformational learning, so it is imperative allies and accomplices do the work to ensure we celebrate our Black community with principled actions.

We will continue to develop ways to use our voice, platform and resources to fight injustice. We hope you will join us in fighting for the equitable distribution of resources toward racial and cultural equity.