STATEMENT ON JUNETEENTH FROM BUILDING BACK TOGETHER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANIELLE MELFI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 19, 2022
PRESS CONTACT: [email protected]

STATEMENT ON JUNETEENTH FROM BUILDING BACK TOGETHER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANIELLE MELFI

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Building Back Together Executive Director Danielle Melfi released the following statement on Juneteenth:

“Today, we celebrate the legacy of Black abolitionists, educators, civil rights activists, and communities stretching back to Emancipation and beyond whose courage, struggle for freedom, and commitment to justice have shaped our country for the better. We thank them and honor their commitment to achieve a shared vision for America: a country where all are free to live and work without fear of prejudice or discrimination.

“Juneteenth serves as a reminder of both the terrible toll the legacy of slavery has taken on generations and the power and possibility of hope in the face of injustice. As we mark Juneteenth, a federal holiday for the first time thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, this is a day of celebration and remembrance — but it is also a call to action. President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken historic steps to combat centuries of injustice and decades of disinvestment in the Black community by bringing down the Black unemployment rate, combatting housing discrimination, ensuring Black entrepreneurs have greater access to capital, delivering resources to HBCUs, and more – and their work is far from over.

“Today, we reflect on the painful legacy of slavery in America, and in memory of those who came before us in the fight for justice, we commit to building a better, more equitable future for generations to come.”

###