Refugee Congress Celebrates Juneteenth
For immediate release: June 19, 2023
WASHINGTON– Refugee Congress proudly commemorates and celebrates freedom and resilience on this Juneteenth.
Juneteenth marks the day when thousands of enslaved peoples in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom, a full two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation declared that “all persons held as slaves…are and henceforward shall be free." It has long been marked by Black Americans as an important day recognizing emancipation and was recognized as a federal holiday for the first time just two years ago.
As a diverse community of people who have experienced forced displacement, Refugee Congress Delegates share the common lived experience of fleeing violence and persecution based on our racial and ethnic identity, political affiliations, or religious beliefs. We are and will always be deeply grateful to Black Americans who resisted oppression and who continue to resist to make the promise of human equality a reality for all.
“Juneteenth is a continuous reminder, especially for Black migrants, of the work we all have to do to continue advocating for issues of concern and hope for a better tomorrow, said Sharon Njie, Refugee Congress Delegate for Louisiana.
“Today on Juneteenth, the day we celebrate the end of slavery, I am reminded of my sole mission here on earth: to help create a space where everyone is treated with RESPECT and KINDNESS, regardless of race and ethnicity,” said Elvina Htoo, Refugee Congress Delegate for Colorado.
“On Juneteenth, we honor the sacrifices and injustices that have, for far too long, been the foundation of our inequitable systems that perpetuate racial injustice. It is not about just this one day. We can never ‘take a break’ from dismantling systemic racism if we are to truly create welcoming and inclusive communities.” - Nili Sarit Yossinger, Refugee Congress Executive Director.
As an organization, Refugee Congress pledges to continue to work together to fight against inequality and to dismantle the systems that maintain racial injustice and white privilege.
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Refugee Congress is a nonpartisan advocacy organization built and led by refugees, asylum seekers, and other forcibly displaced people to promote the well-being, integration and dignity of all vulnerable migrants. With Delegates across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, we use our voices and experiences to inform and influence decision-makers on critical domestic and international issues that affect our communities.
MEDIA CONTACT: (202) 905-6238, media@refugeecongress.org
