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Juneteenth, a Moment to Reflect and Move Forward

A message from AFCEA International President and CEO Lt. Gen. Susan S. Lawrence, USA (Ret.)

Credit: Dmitriy NDM/Shutterstock

Juneteenth marks the end of U.S. slavery, recognizing the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and declared slaves free as they took control of the state. Incredibly, this came two YEARS after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the end of the U.S. Civil War.

In 2023, can you imagine it taking two years for news to travel? Or to physically travel, as we now have airplanes and high-speed trains.

While information now progresses more quickly than we could have ever envisioned, open mindedness, equality and inclusion, unfortunately, have not. We still see pervasive discrimination, racism and examples of inequality, showing we still have work to do.

AFCEA International is proud to have recognized Juneteenth as an employee holiday since 2020. Acknowledging history is an important part of moving forward. AFCEA’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) initiative aims to provide a culture in which all members can connect, contribute and be themselves. It is part of AFCEA’s commitment to diversity and objective to ensure programs and initiatives reflect the fabric of our country and establish a sense of belonging for everyone.