6/17/2024
Dear Members of the Campus Community,
On Wednesday, June 19, we will observe Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the day in 1865 when word of the Emancipation Proclamation abolishing slavery finally reached the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas. On this day, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of African Americans, and we also recognize that freedom has not always led to equality and social justice. Juneteenth is an opportunity to celebrate the emancipation of slavery and to reflect on how far we still have to go to address the ways racism continues to shape our country—from disparities in health care, education, and economic mobility to bias in our criminal justice system.
As we celebrate Juneteenth, I hope you will take time to reflect, learn, and recommit to the work of dismantling systems of oppression and racism. On June 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the community is invited to Juneteenth: A Road to Economic Freedom at Stewart Heights Park in Tacoma. This free event will feature music, performances, and over 150 vendors coming together for a joyous celebration of Black freedom and identity.
This Juneteenth, I am mindful of the work we still have to do to make our campus a welcoming and inclusive place for all. and to dismantle elements of our society shaped by racism, particularly anti-Black racism. I am also grateful for the many partners across campus who are diligently undertaking this work with us in the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity and for all the students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members who are striving to build a world where racism and inequality do not exist.
Respectfully,
Lorna Hernandez Jarvis | Vice President of Institutional Equity and Diversity