Juneteenth

It took over two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation for all enslaved people to learn of their freedom. Juneteenth holds the depth of that truth and marks the end of slavery in the United States. It is a Black celebration of freedom in America, despite its late arrival. Civitas honors this day of delayed liberation and acknowledges that 155 years later, we still have a long way to go in this country for Black Americans’ lived experience to match the freedoms that exist on paper.

‍

The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade are indicative of a pattern of violence against Black people in this country that has existed since its inception. At Civitas, we believe that the truth of our history must be told, believed, and understood in order for our country to reconcile and build anew. We support the racial awakening happening now in all corners of America and trust that real, meaningful change is possible in this pivotal moment. Such change will not happen, however, without all of us making a real commitment to no longer accept or ignore how racial injustice permeates every aspect of our society.

‍

Civitas marks this day with an express commitment to working internally with our team and externally with our clients and partners to disrupt America’s cycle of delayed liberation. We know that we won’t get it perfect, but we are committed to listening, learning from our mistakes, and doing our part to build a country where we can all thrive.

‍