Honoring and Celebrating Juneteenth

Dear CWU Community,

Juneteenth marks a critical moment in our nation's history, and we would like to take this opportunity to invite some reflection from the Central Washington University community, both on how far we've come and on the work that lies ahead.

Commemorating June 19, 1865-the day on which the remaining slaves in Texas were freed following the Civil War-has long served as a Holiday for African Americans. Juneteenth is now a national day of a remembrance of the end of slavery and its legacy. It is also a day that honors the strength and resilience of the African American people.

Today, let us pause and appreciate the efforts of those past and present, the community organizers, civil rights activists, cultural leaders, and other courageous individuals whose fight for justice serves as inspiration to the CWU community as we live into our vision of being a model learning community of equity and belonging.

As a community of life-long learners, CWU believes that encouraging more diversity is one of our strongest, most enduring assets. To that end, we are proud to continue promoting inclusion through student clubs such as the Black Student Union and African Student Association, and campus entities such as the Diversity and Equity Center and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

On this Juneteenth, we would like to remind all of us that our work is far from finished. Across our nation, racism, prejudice, and inequity continue to fester, rife with remnants of a bygone age that seek to drag our society backwards. We cannot allow voices of division and hatred to distract us from our national aspiration to afford anyone, of any background, a chance at life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We invite you to lead the charge toward a brighter tomorrow by promoting diversity and cultural literacy in your everyday life. Every act of inclusion brings us closer to a future in which our fellow human beings are judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

Happy Juneteenth, and may the coming year be one of growth and positive change for all of us.

Sincerely,

Lucinda Carnell
Interim Vice President
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

and

A. James Wohlpart
President