This week's opening thought: When Juneteenth became a federal bank holiday in 2021, there were many Black folx who were happy. Many Black people feel that making Juneteenth a national bank holiday was a step in the right direction from a race relations perspective. They felt that by acknowledging the Black experience in this way that more U.S. Americans, more white U.S. Americans, would recognize how hard Black people in the United States have fought to get to this place in time.
No tea, no shade, but y'all should've known better than that. We're talking about white U.S. Americans here.
Making Juneteenth a federal holiday was never about learning, reflection, or supporting Black communities for white people. Juneteenth is a bank holiday because the white people who make decisions in this country wanted to feel good about themselves after the murder of George Floyd. Juneteenth, in their eyes, was the low-hanging fruit they needed to "make it right." So they swiftly signed it into law.
And in doing so, they swiftly opened the door for white people to make more money off of Black bodies while continuing the disrespect of Black people in the United States.
Here we are, in the year of somebody's lord, 2022, and Walmart is flush with Juneteenth party decorations, party favors, bingo cards, and "special edition" ice cream flavors. None of these items are made by Black people, of course. White people have put together whites-only Juneteenth parties at swank venues and country clubs and have gotten angry when called out about it. Major publications have been writing how-to guides for white people for two years now, instructing white folx how they should celebrate Juneteenth. These articles are tone-deaf and white-centered, but no one reading this should be surprised. They map out how white people can be performative allies and pat themselves on the back for Juneteenth. White companies are having Juneteenth parties in the workplace. The same companies that complain about "not being enough qualified Black candidates" are subjecting the 10 Black employees on their payroll to a "party" space with their white co-workers. If you're Black, you find yourself in a "party space" with the same white co-workers who hand out microaggressions like Juneteenth party favors every day "celebrating" the enslavement of your ancestors with red velvet cake and a Black speaker hired to "teach" about Black lives.
Real talk?
Juneteenth ain't for you, white people. It's not for you. It's not for you to enjoy. It's not for you to make a profit. Stop it.
Your people have profited from Black bodies for long enough. You don't need another opportunity to do so.
Only white people are callous enough to celebrate lying to Black bodies about the end of their forced enslavement after enslaving them, sexually assaulting them, and traumatizing them for 400+ years. Only white people are callous enough to make money off of the enslavement of Black people at the hands of white people hundreds of years after kidnapping and enslaving Black people.
Y'all really out here making your enslavement of Black bodies a federal day off for white people? Are y'all really making ice cream and party décor and t-shirts to sell to Black people and other white people with none of the funds going to Black communities? Y'all are seriously about two years away from Juneteenth sales at furniture stores, and it's harmful and tasteless.
SIGH.
I'm not going to give you tips or advice about how you should "celebrate" Juneteenth, white people. I'm not going to provide you with book or documentary recommendations. Nah, nix that. I've got one tip for you.
Just don't.
It ain't your emancipation.
You don't get to "celebrate" Black enslavement while calling the police on your Black neighbor or teaching your children "not to see color." You don't get to "celebrate" Black enslavement while treating Black women in the workplace like Juneteenth party favors: fun for a few moments but easily discarded and disregarded.
Juneteenth ain't for you. It ain't your emancipation.
Just leave Black people alone on June 19, white people. Let us celebrate in our way while we continue healing from the ongoing trauma you create.
God, I just had an image of a special edition Juneteenth strawberry Kool-Aid pop into my head.
If y'all do that, I'm leaving the country.
