It is hard to believe another Juneteenth is already upon us. President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, but it wasn't until two years later on June 19, 1865, that the last enslaved people were freed in Galveston, Texas. For many in the Black community, Juneteenth is a day of independence and celebration.
Last year, we encouraged you to learn, listen and reflect with us on Juneteenth and beyond. In July 2020, we hosted two listening sessions with black women, made possible with funding from the Black Community Fund. The sessions focused on barriers to and opportunities for black women’s economic participation and civic engagement, and on the impact of the Coronavirus disease outbreak. We continue to use the information collected to suggest policy solutions that will better meet the needs of a diverse community of women.
Ensuring that women are treated equally is a mission we've always fought for in order to make meaningful change. I am excited to share some of the actions we are taking the remainder of 2021 to improve equity for Black women and women of color:
New Collaboration: United WE and Suburban Balance are excited to launch a collaborative partnership to support people of color who are interested in running for local boards, commissions and offices. With generous support from the Truman Heartland Community Foundation’s Racial Equity Action Fund, we’ll create lasting change in Eastern Jackson County, Missouri, by addressing the lack of racial diversity in decision-making leadership positions in our community. This collaboration ensures that diverse candidates are considered for a broad swath of leadership positions.
Listening: This summer we will host a Missouri statewide virtual town hall for women of color. We will hear firsthand the barriers they’re facing and use the insights to better translate our research into actionable change. This virtual town hall is part of United WE’s larger effort to put forward a pragmatic advocacy platform that unites policy makers and delivers lasting, high-impact change for women in Missouri, Kansas and beyond.
Partnering: We’re joining forces with Black Excellence KC and Jackson County to present a “Women in Civic Leadership” panel discussion on June 24th at 7:00 p.m. on Facebook Live. This program will showcase the success of municipalities and community organizations working together and feature local civic leaders empowering women to follow in their footsteps.
This year — in honor of our 30th anniversary of serving women — we’re calling you to step up and take action. We all have a role to play in racial justice and anti-racism. We all have opportunities to learn from each other and wisdom to share. This Juneteenth, remember the acronym W-I-S-E and take the next step to get involved:
Watch for updates about serving in civic leadership and on school boards. Through our partnership with Suburban Balance, we will educate and support people of color interested in leadership opportunities by hosting Appointments Project overviews, providing school board workshops, hosting an education panel discussion, collaborating with Suburban Balance on a research report that investigates the state of the suburban black family, and more.
Invite others to join and register for our Appointments Project, particularly Black women. We have seen from our research that when women have a seat at the decision-making table, better outcomes are realized, and entire communities are lifted.
Share this email with everyone you can and encourage people to participate.
Engage with the Black Excellence and Jackson County panel on civic leadership and the importance of boards and commissions. As mentioned above, this event is taking place on June 24th at 7:00 p.m. on Facebook Live. RSVP here.
When we acknowledge and address the systemic barriers that Black women face, and work together to amplify their voices and stories, we can be one step closer to truly achieving equality for all.
We are committed to supporting our community so that we may grow stronger together. Unite with us this Juneteenth and join our commitment to fight for change. We’re stronger together.
Kindly,
