Hello and Happy Juneteenth to all!
According to Merriam-Webster, Juneteenth is a holiday meant to observe the day that belated word of the Emancipation Proclamation, passed in 1862, finally reached Black slaves in Texas in 1865.
We believe it’s an important day to observe because it’s a vital reminder of the historical and systemic inequalities that Black people have faced in the United States for centuries. It reminds us that slavery didn’t just end immediately because Abraham Lincoln said so. It was far more complicated than that and the ripple effects of slavery are still felt to this day.
On that note, Attain Housing staff members are endeavoring to better educate ourselves on anti-racist action and systemic inequality in order to better understand and serve the many families of color who live in our Transitional Housing program and who utilize our eviction prevention services. This week, we are watching the documentary 13TH and will be discussing it as a staff. Directed by Ava DuVernay, 13TH explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation’s prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans.
It’s a bracing and eye-opening documentary and if you haven’t seen it yet, there is no better time than now.
Additionally, here is a list of other resources our staff has been reviewing on how to be anti-racist.
Our mission statement is:
“Bringing our community together to partner with homeless families by providing affordable housing and empowering them with practical case management and hope.”
In order to bring community together, to form true partnerships, and to empower homeless families, we as a community first need to better understand the systemic inequalities that cause many families to experience homelessness in the first place. Educating ourselves and the willingness to listen to perspectives other than our own are the first two steps to building that understanding.