Congresswoman Stansbury’s Statement on Juneteenth

ALBUQUERQUE—Today, U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01) issued the following statement celebrating Juneteenth:

“Today, we are celebrating Juneteenth as a long-overdue federal holiday, due to the tireless work and years of advocacy by community leaders across the country. Today, we celebrate and lift up the stories, resilience, and joy of Black New Mexicans and Black Americans across the United States.

“As we celebrate Juneteenth as a federal holiday, we take time to honor the day’s significance to our country and shared history. Black communities have celebrated Juneteenth for generations to mark the day that the last communities of enslaved people heard the news that they were free—recognizing that none of us are free until we all are free. On this day of celebration, we take the time to reflect, recommit ourselves to action, and examine the work that needs to be done–not just today, but every day–to ensure the promises this country was built on are experienced by all people living in this great nation. We must never forget our country’s history of slavery and how it affects our communities to this day. As we celebrate, we must also focus on the work for justice ahead.”

Rep. Stansbury is a co-sponsor of H.R. 40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. This legislation creates a dedicated commission to study how state and federal institutions supported slavery and examine its continued impacts on communities across the country. Rep. Stansbury and her staff celebrated Juneteenth in Albuquerque on Saturday at Civic Plaza.