Happy Juneteenth, Chicago.
Today our Club joins the nation in recognizing and celebrating the oldest commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
Juneteenth celebrates June 19th, 1865, the day union army general Gordon Granger informed the people of Texas that all slaves had been freed. This news arrived an entire two and a half years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation became official on January 1, 1863.
Our Club embraces this day of emancipation as an opportunity to both celebrate and educate as we continue our pledge to combat racism and bring about positive change throughout Chicago.
Below we have compiled a list of ways to stay educated, get involved, and support racial and social equality.
Community Engagement, Business and Organizations to Support:
Common Goal- Earlier this year, the Club announced that it had partnered with Common Goal to help launch the Anti-Racist Project (ARP), an action-based approach to tackling systemic racism in football and society. The new project is led by a diverse coalition of leaders from the United States football industry that are tired of the lack of action that follows the repeated condemnation of racism. The coalition, inclusive of the Fire, former player Tony Sanneh, Angel City FC (NWSL), Oakland Roots (USL), USMNT goalkeeper Zack Steffen, and the American Outlaws, aims to fund a toolkit designed by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) experts across the U.S. football system, that will see 5,000 coaches, 60,000 young people, and 115 staff trained in more than 400 communities in the first year.
My Block My Hood My City- The Chicago-based organization strives to inspire youth, empower communities, and build a better world one block at a time. Through the program, youth from the city of Chicago are provided opportunities to step outside their comfort zone and explore new communities, cultures, and cuisines in an effort to gain a greater understanding of the world. This weekend, the Fire will wear Juneteenth-inspired numbered jerseys against Columbus Crew SC and subsequently auction off the kits to benefit My Block My Hood My City, which was chosen by Andre Reynolds II, the Club's Black Players for Change representative.
Something I Can Feel - Dwight White, a local artist and member of the Stand for Chicago council, is putting on an art exhibit experience at the Roosevelt Collection in South Loop featuring black creators and artists. The event runs through Tuesday with several opportunities to take part, including a Father's Day program on Sunday and open gallery hours to the public on Monday and Tuesday. Learn more about White in our recent video feature spotlighting his work.
Hood Space Chi – HoodSpaceChi is a nonprofit organization that is run by Chicago Red Stars player and Stand for Chicago council member Sarah Gorden. Her goal is to help girls and women of color find their space of flow through mindfulness activities.
Black-Owned Restaurants – Black People Eats is organizing their second annual Juneteenth celebration, promoting 95 Black-owned restaurants who are offering deals for $6.19 or $16.19. They are also accepting donations to with the goal of offering ten - $25,000 grants to black-owned restaurants affected by the pandemic.
Semicolon Bookstore- Chicago’s only black-woman-owned Bookstore & Gallery. Created, owned, and curated by art and literature lover DL Mullen, Semicolon Bookstore merges both worlds seamlessly.
Sip and Savor Chicago- With locations in Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Rosenwald, and South Loop, the coffee shop aims to bring fair trade coffee worldwide. The business is proudly among the restoration of historical business to the South Side of the city. Trez V. Pugh, III is the Founder & CEO of Sip and Savor Hospitality Group, and works with disabled veterans, recovering addicts, and the homeless.
Education:
NY Times Juneteenth Day of Celebration
Bronzeville Freedom Ride
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to show Emancipation Proclamation
Illinois Legislature Approves Juneteenth as a State Holiday
