Happy Juneteenth!
I cannot believe how divisive this holiday has become.
It is a historical fact that today, in 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas, were freed after being unaware that they were already freed in 1863 by the Emancipation Proclamation.
I will link an article to learn more about it here.
We still have such a long way to go in terms of race relations, and it seems so grievous to see how backwards we as a world are moving.
I made the grave mistake of looking at comments under our local news stations' social media posts.
So many people who have nothing nice to say, who don't see the historical significance, and who want to remain in ignorant bias -- loved taking punches at the holiday, at black people, and at the actual event of slavery.
WILD! Humanity is WILD!
Offended.. by a holiday? It could not be me.
If you have to hold yourself up, to tear people who look differently than you down?
You are not exactly standing on solid ground. You are in quicksand and sinking fast.
Anyways, let's hop in a Time Machine back to 2020.
I have been reflecting a lot on 2020 -- the housing crisis, the inflation, and the uptick in homelessness.
So many people are othered and deemed -- "untouchable."
I read so many right-winged comments about our city's issues with homelessness.
Nothing on how to help, understand, or make change.
Overall -- just a disdain for their fellow man.
It can be very disheartening when you think about it.
You are not better. You are just lucky.
People don't seem to know, or care about the difference.
As long as they are fine -- life is great.
Anyways.
Before the pandemic, I felt like we were all cohabitating nicely.
That was -- until we weren’t.
Until the pandemic shed a big, and shining light on all the ugly stuff the people around us were like.
Like, really like.
After the death of George Floyd, you got to see a lot of well-intentioned people asking to learn more about race relations.
Some were more or less just weirded out at being called racists, so they quickly posted quotes or black screens on IG and never reached out to their black friends.
That was a TIME to be ALIVE.
I hope you are all doing well.
It was also a time when people decided to start their families because what else were you supposed to do in lockdown?
If I had the choice, I probably would have done the same.
After the pandemic, here is what I have found.
I say "no" to things and people a lot more.
I take care of myself (and I don’t feel guilty about it).
When I pick up on someone's energy, and it rubs me the wrong way, I decide not to engage with it anymore.
The pandemic made me painfully aware that life is too short to engage with folks who don’t want what’s best for you — and who only want what is best for them.
Who would gladly throw you to the wolves to save themselves.
It also just made me see the performative bullshit around activism, and I cut off those connections at the root.
The reality is this — if you are a black person, you will need people around you who don’t tolerate racists, who love you, who stand up for you.
I don’t always have the energy to do it.
So, I intentionally surround myself with people who can be strong in times when I am just not at my best.
People who pick up on the microaggressions and who ask people to clarify, “What did you mean by that?" So that I do not have to.
Full stop.
Being strong all the time is not for me, and I will not do it anymore.
I can, but I don’t have to. So I won’t.
I am no longer putting up with ill-intentioned people or putting myself in harm's way by way of being likable, sociable, or palatable.
I am almost 37, and palatable is the last thing I want to be.
So yes, Juneteenth is a national holiday. Juneteenth is also a celebration that shows us a lot about the world around us in current times.
Especially in America.
Europe is dangerously close to repeating similar sentiments -- and that in itself is pretty depressing.
What will you do to celebrate Juneteenth today?
I will rest in doing the work God has set me to do.
But, if I were a parent -- I would spend the day teaching my kids, having conversations, explaining the significance of the holiday.
Maybe role-playing ways in which my kids would be able to counter race relations IRL (for themselves and their friends).
It would be a day of rest and education.
Happy Juneteenth to you all!
xx