Juneteenth Celebration

Grab your dancing shoes because Juneteenth is a time of celebration! Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people, dating all the way back to 1865 in Galveston, Texas. Juneteenth honors the end of slavery in the United States which officially became a federal holiday June 17, 2021. 

To give our employees the opportunity to fully embrace and celebrate Juneteenth, they had the day off work which allowed the opportunity to participate in local celebrations happening in their residential areas. Thanks to the Minority Employee Resource Group (MERG), each Lawliner received a curated list of local events to choose from. 

• “I celebrated Juneteenth in Cleveland, Ohio with my husband and toddler by heading downtown near Lake Erie to attend the Juneteenth festival. The atmosphere was filled with vibrant music and there were more than 50 vendors offering a variety of natural hair products, lotions, clothing items, and oils. However, the highlight of the day was undoubtedly the incredible food options available through a wide variety of food trucks. They offered chicken and waffles, desserts, and there was even an entire chain of food trucks lined up on 'soul food avenue’. The festival played music which of course resulted in line dancing, rollerblading, and even bumper cars. You could sense the happiness in the air.” Miylie Roan, HR Generalist

MERG also organized an exciting Juneteenth trivia session, where we dived into the history of the celebration and discovered some fascinating fun facts. It was a great opportunity for our employees to expand their knowledge. Did you know...

• Red velvet cake is a traditional dessert associated with Juneteenth. The red color symbolizes resilience and perseverance, while the cake itself is a delicious treat enjoyed during celebrations.
• Gospel music is often associated with Juneteenth celebrations as it carries a deep spiritual significance and reflects the cultural heritage of African Americans.
• There was an estimate of 4 million slaves in the United States in the early 1860s before slavery was outlawed. This is the size of Los Angeles California according to 2020 statistics! 

Juneteenth serves as a reminder that there is so much we still have to learn about history and different cultures. By dedicating our time and energy, we can expand our knowledge. After the trivia session, employees came forward about how excited they were to learn more about the history of Juneteenth and it’s important that we continue to learn about each other's culture together in order for everyone to feel that they belong, matter, and included. We're already looking forward to celebrating Juneteenth again next year.