I often sit and think about our movement, the Labor Movement, that we are all a part of. We are from so many different walks of life and backgrounds and so diverse, but yet, we are so united in our fights for justice and equity for all.
I smile with pride at all we have accomplished together, but I also know we have more to fight for going forward. I know we still are fighting for racial, social and economic justice for everyone in our society and this month, we are reminded of how far we have come and how much further we need to go.
This month, we celebrate Juneteenth on June 19. This observance marks the day that Union soldiers arrived in Texas in 1865 to free more than 250,000 Black people from slavery. While today, Juneteenth is a federal and state holiday and for many people a day off, it is so much more than that. It is a day of remembrance and a day to reinvigorate our fight for racial justice in all aspects of our lives because we aren’t there yet. We still fight against discrimination that exists in our everyday lives, be it in education, health care or at the workplace. We will continue this fight until true equity exists for all of us.
That means also fighting for equity and social and economic justice for our LGBTQ+ community as well. The month of June is Pride Month and we proudly stand with our union members and friends of this community to advance their right to a just and equal society that recognizes them and treats them with dignity and respect both inside the workplace and out. We will proudly join them in their marches throughout the state and nation and raise their flags in recognition of their rights.
Our work fighting to achieve an equitable society for all people is ours to fight. It is a fight that the labor movement has been at the forefront of and must continue to be what we stand and fight for today.
