Juneteenth
Holland & Knight recognizes Juneteenth, the oldest national celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, as a day to commemorate the freedom, culture and achievements of Black Americans, including those we call our colleagues. We acknowledge the history and legacy of slavery in our country and the work we must do, both as individuals and as a firm, to make lasting changes for inclusion, equity and justice, as well as appreciate the contributions of generations of Black Americans to the story of America.
Let us gather in celebration to remember, find our shared power and make changes to the structural barriers that hold us back as a nation. Today and every day, we recommit ourselves to defending the self-evident truth that all people are created equal.
We invite you to listen to a short reflection from Kelly-Ann Gibbs Cartwright, chair of our Directors Committee, and we encourage you to take time to learn about Juneteenth and its significance for all of us as Americans.
Holland & Knight is proud to again commemorate the oldest national celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, which came to be known as Juneteenth, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day or Emancipation Day. Recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday gives us as a firm and as individuals the opportunity to celebrate the freedom, culture and achievements of Black Americans. Today, we celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans throughout history. Importantly, we will also celebrate the accomplishments of our Black colleagues, who have demonstrated professional excellence in the firm, the community and the profession. We salute you. Juneteenth also invites us to confront this nation's unfulfilled promises of liberty and justice for all. It is a time for reflection about the history and legacy of slavery in this country. Through this reflection, we can recognize and commit to addressing the racial injustice present in our society today. We have encouraged our employees to use this Juneteenth weekend to reflect on our nation's complex history, the continued challenges facing the country and the work that we must do both individually and collectively to make lasting changes for inclusion, equity and justice. We encourage you to do the same.