This month we acknowledge Pride Month and Juneteenth.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is intended to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and acknowledge the progress made on LGBTQ+ rights while recognizing the LGBTQ+ communities’ ongoing struggle for visibility, equal rights, justice, and acceptance. 

Pride Month is important because it brings visibility to the LGBTQ+ community and attention to the inequities they continue to struggle against. People in the LGBTQ+ community continue to face prejudice and violence because of who they are attracted to/love, how they self-identify, and how they express gender, which many of us consider undeniable rights in our own life.

While there are more protections in place for LGBTQ+ individuals, there is still much work to be done to realize full inclusion, safety, freedom, and equality for the LGBTQ+ community. The importance of this work---at the individual, community, and societal levels—is growing, as there has been a rise in anti-LGBTQ+ bills and legislation in the U.S. over the past few years.

I recently attended the Race Matters session highlighting the work of the Lived Name and Gender Marker Taskforce. Practices for cultivating inclusion were shared and I include them here as tools for personal reflection and to help identify how we can each advance the work for LGBTQ+ rights. 

1. Do not make assumptions about pronouns. Ask and get comfortable with correcting yourself and others if someone is misgendered. 
2. When planning events, ensure that gender-inclusive restrooms are available.
3. Engage in meaningful reflection.

• How do you feel about LGBTQIA students and colleagues? How might your feelings be harmful or helpful in achieving equity?
• What assumptions do you make about your own or other people’s sexual orientation and gender identity that may limit diversity and inclusion?
• What steps can you begin to take to learn more about your own beliefs and behaviors as they relate to LGBTQIA equity?

Juneteenth is the oldest commemoration of the end of slavery in the U.S. It is also called Jubilee Day and is our nation’s second Independence Day.

Juneteenth was established as an official federal holiday in 2021 but has been commemorated since 1866. Juneteenth dates to June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the end of the Civil War and the freedom of enslaved people. This was two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. The Emancipation Proclamation prevented the continued enslavement of human beings but did not bring equal liberation—that work continues today. 

Juneteenth offers us an opportunity to re-imagine our nation beyond its legacy of slavery. To be a nation where the tremendous cultural contributions of Black/African Americans to history are recognized and celebrated. Where there is acknowledgment of the harm caused to the Black/African American community by slavery and anti-Black racism both historically and in present time. Where there is true commitment to ensure the promises of freedom and liberty include Black/African Americans. Where action is taken to right wrongs through socially just policies and laws. Where hope guides the collaborative reconstruction of our systems and nation. 

Juneteenth is a holiday of action. It invites us to educate ourselves on the history of race and racism, assess our racialized assumptions and practices, and commit to the collective responsibility of ensuring the success of historically marginalized peoples. We are each needed in the work to dismantle racist ideologies, practices, and systems and to build a more equitable world for all. 

Today white supremacy is on the rise. For a true social equality to be reached, the spirit of Juneteenth must be remembered every day. We must engage in meaningful reflection that leads to daily actions in support of the Black/African American community. A powerful reflection question this Juneteenth might be, “What am I doing/going to do to advance social justice for all?”