United Women in Faith Celebrates Juneteenth 160 Years After Day of Freedom

For Immediate Release

Contact: press@spotlightpr.org

NEW YORK – As we celebrate Juneteenth, Sally Vonner, General Secretary and CEO of United Women in Faith, issued the following statement:

“On this day 160 years ago, June 19 of 1865, the people of Galveston, Texas, who had been enslaved were informed of their freedom. This happened two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, and Juneteenth became the oldest celebration of the end of slavery in the United States.

“Juneteenth is a day of rejoicing, of resilience and remembering. It holds power, and it shows us the strength that exists in racial and cultural diversity. Today and every day, United Women in Faith celebrates the freedom and common humanity that we hold so dear.

“From the birth of our country, Black Americans have faced violence, cruelty, and dehumanization. We celebrate the progress that has been made, but we also acknowledge that there is more work to be done. From addressing the school-to-prison pipeline, to eliminating institutional racism in the church and beyond, the pursuit of racial justice is ongoing.

“Now, it has been four years since Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday. On this day, we reflect on our history and the important work we have left to do. United Women in Faith has and will continue this work until we live in a world in which all have the equal opportunity to thrive.”

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United Women in Faith is a sisterhood acting in faith to tackle the hard work of the world without hesitation.