Rashida Tlaib: “Juneteenth is a day of joy, a celebration of freedom, and a reminder of the work that lies before us as we continue to…”

“Juneteenth is a day of joy, a celebration of freedom, and a reminder of the work that lies before us as we continue to fight for true equity and justice for our Black neighbors. On Juneteenth and every day in our community, we honor the trauma and acknowledge the pain and hurt of our Black Americans who fought tirelessly for their freedom, and we still aren't done. We celebrate this independence day with activists, organizers, and community leaders who uplift Black history and carry on the enduring struggle for justice for all. In our country right now, which our own Black neighbors literally built, including this very building I am standing in, the Capitol, systemic racism and discrimination continue to plague our institutions and communities. We see it in disparities in healthcare, education, housing, access to basic necessities, racism in our legal system and economic opportunities, and so much more. By providing reparations, the debt owed to our Black neighbors upon emancipation from centuries of enslavement and oppression, we can begin, Mr. Speaker, to address the injustices. I know the 12th Congressional District knows that reparations are a debt that our Nation owes, a true acknowledgement of the pain and harm inflicted on generations of our Black families. Juneteenth is a reminder of how far we have come, but also how far we still need to go.…”