For Immediate Release
WASHINGTON – Race Forward today celebrated Juneteenth by urging advocates for racial justice to continue organizing for a nation where all belong and all can thrive. Citing that such work strengthens democracy, the national racial equity organization released the following statement, which can be attributed to its president Glenn Harris:
“It is not lost on us that this Juneteenth, the nation is experiencing a profound backsliding on racial equity. We are witnessing an acceleration of regressionists efforts to rollback multi-racial progress. These anti-democratic efforts will not only harm Black and Brown people, they will erode the very fabric of the nation.
“However distressing the current political climate may be, we should be clear that those who favor freedom and justice have never relented. Whether we know their names or benefit from their work, in every community, there are people who are pushing back on white supremacy, and policies that harm Black and Brown communities.
“For instance, this week a coalition of federal legislators and advocates rallied for the reintroduction of key reparations measures. Rep. Summer Lee reintroduced the Reparations Now resolution, which was first introduced in 2023 by former Rep. Cori Bush . The resolution urges the federal government to allocate trillions of dollars in reparations to Black Americans to compensate for chattel slavery, and federally-sanctioned policies that harmed, and continues to harm, Black Americans.
“Earlier this month, Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Sen. Cory Booker reintroduced H.R. 40, which was originally championed by the late Rep John Conyers. The measure would create a federal commission to examine the lasting impact of slavery, systemic racism and racial discrimination. It would also explore recompense such reparations.
“Our collective goal as a movement and a people should be to reclaim what has been lost or damaged; and remain resilient in the face of current attacks. We should also create the conditions for a resurgence of movements, policies and practices that ensure equal opportunity, and the strengthening of democracy.”
###