Celebrate Juneteenth by promoting Black health, wealth and joy

June 19, 2023 is the third annual observance of Juneteenth. The federal holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when the enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their emancipation two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Although Juneteenth has recently become more widely recognized, the date has long been a deeply spiritual time of remembrance and celebration for the Black community.

Across the country, African Americans have rejoiced with fireworks and cookouts, sipping red drinks - a nod to ancestors' bloodshed and endurance.

"We know the horrors that we went through," explained Kleaver Cruz, writer of the forthcoming book "The Black Joy Project" and creator of a digital initiative of the same name. "It's always concurrent: the joy and the pain. We use one to get through the other."

On a particularly joyous note, this June 19, CNN and OWN (both properties of Warner Bros. Discovery) will simulcast Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom at 8 PM Eastern time. The concert will feature artists across multiple genres including Charlie Wilson, Miguel, Kirk Franklin, Nelly, SWV, Davido, Coi Leray, Jodeci and Mike Phillips. CNN will kick off pre-show coverage at 7 PM Eastern time, highlighting Black advocates, trailblazers, and creators.

"We get to celebrate our freedoms; we get to celebrate the dismantling of things and lean into what we want in the future," Cruz said of Juneteenth observance. "We want more of that space and less of the one that harms us."

The Black community still struggles with pain and inequity. Impact Your World has gathered ways you can help reject the pathology of racism and thoughtfully celebrate Juneteenth through non-profits that support Black health, wealth, joy, and overall empowerment. You can donate to those charities here.