HANDS would like to acknowledge two things happening this month: Pride Month and Juneteenth. While it doesn’t seem as though these two are related, both of them revolve around discrimination.
Pride Month began as a protest, but is now celebrated in the quest for equal rights for everyone in the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer) communities. Juneteenth (June 19th) is a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans on June 19, 1865.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there have been almost 500 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced throughout the United States this year. HANDS supports the LGBTQ community and stands with them to protect their rights.
President Abraham Lincoln put the Emancipation Proclamation into effect on January 1, 1863. Major General Gordon Granger (a Union General) arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 and issued a proclamation to those enslaved---by that time, there were 250,000 oppressed people in Texas. Sadly, emancipation for enslaved people in Delaware and Kentucky did not come until December 18, 1865.
These worlds can, and do, intersect. Equity has not existed for too many older adults. Some seniors have been discriminated against because of their sexual preference and/or the color of their skin. Many older adults have been forced to hide their true lives from family, friends, and employers.
The board and staff of HANDS supports Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Let’s all work toward supporting and honoring the differences among us rather than continuing the prejudice that some people in this country may still hold.
