Dear Resilience Education Family,
Juneteenth holds special importance for the Fairchild family. We wanted to begin a tradition for our children that commemorated the true end of slavery in the United States. We decided to celebrate with family and friends and share histories that, until recent years, had largely been hidden from national view.
The Fairchilds were from Oklahoma and knew Juneteenth well (Tulsa has the largest Juneteenth celebration in the entire US). Being white and from New England, I had no idea until Greg and his dad told me. This reality became part of my own long road to understanding how race and white privilege work in this country. As we raised our children, we wanted to be intentional about this day.
Greg and I started celebrating Juneteenth with our children, family and friends about 15 years ago. Our Juneteenth party became an annual event, where we cooked and enjoyed fellowship with friends of all backgrounds. Our children had a role to play in the meal and preparations – the menu usually included jerk chicken, mac and cheese, greens, edamame salad and a classic red velvet cake in Juneteenth colors that the children eagerly awaited.