Dear Abdul ,
Happy Juneteenth! Today, we celebrate a pivotal moment in American history when Union Army Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, and announced the freedom of 250,000 enslaved people in the state. Imagine the joy and relief of those who had been legally free for two years but only just received the word that they were no longer bound by the chains of slavery.
This historic day reminds us of the ongoing struggle for justice and equality. There are striking similarities between the delayed justice following the Emancipation Proclamation and the current Leandro case in North Carolina. Despite multiple NC Supreme Court verdicts requiring the General Assembly to invest $5.54 billion to implement the Leandro Comprehensive Remedial Plan, our children are still waiting for their right to a sound basic education to be honored.
The reality is that many people in North Carolina are unaware of Leandro and the significant impact this investment could have on our public school system. This lack of awareness allows the injustice to continue. But together, we can change that.
We need your help to make Leandro a household name and a critical voting issue in North Carolina. Here’s how you can help:
1. Share our petition with three people this week to spread the word about the importance of fully funding the Leandro Plan. Our goal is to bring 10,000 signatures before elected officials in Raleigh.
2. Follow us on social media to stay updated on our efforts and amplify our message.
3. View and Share our Juneteenth Message with others to both raise awareness about the historical significance of this day and the current struggle for educational equity in our state.
Having been deprived of the opportunity to learn, the freedmen worked diligently to offer education to their young. Together, we can ensure that the promise of a sound basic education is fulfilled for every child in North Carolina. To honor the dream of the "freedmen", let us resolve again this day to make a quality education accessible to all children!
Best regards,
Rebecca Trammel
Lead Advocate
Community Conversations
bit.ly/iamleandro
