Why Juneteenth matters in Oakland County
Perspective by Robin Carter-Cooper, county's chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer
Across Oakland County, many communities, churches, businesses and other organizations are observing Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865, the last U.S. slaves, in Galveston, Texas, learned of the Emancipation Proclamation and their freedom.
Their annual celebration of the anniversary has spread across the US, becoming a federal holiday last year and a state and county holiday this year. County offices will be closed Monday, June 20.
Robin Carter-Cooper, Oakland County’s chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, told The Oakland Press Juneteenth is a day everyone can observe and celebrate.
“Juneteenth honors not only emancipation but also the historical Black experience,” she said.
It’s a time to reflect on our nation’s history, she said, in part by looking at “all of its beauty and its ugliness. Otherwise, we’re not telling a complete story.”
The historical pain and suffering of Black Americans has a continued legacy in lives and institutions today, she said.
People running organizations can “begin to reflect how justice is functioning in their organizations, and look at equitable solutions,” she told The Oakland Press. “Every system has disparate outcomes for Black and Brown people — look at your data. How is your system perpetuating or disrupting (inequity)?”
She said data clearly shows disparities in everything from healthcare, employment, education, criminal justice and banking, among other categories.
“When you think about 100 years of generations, of wealth of opportunity and success, juxtaposed with
generations of bondage, poverty and systems rooted against them, you know there will be disparate outcomes,” Carter-Cooper said.
Some people might call that a broken system, she said, but “it’s a system that’s working. It’s doing exactly what it was created to do … It’s our job to challenge our systems and make sure they’re listening to outcomes we want, which is equity.”
Equal access to services is one way to improve outcomes, she said.
Looking for ways to support equity has less to do with imposing guilt on anyone, she said, than acknowledgement.
“When we’re talking about Juneteenth and any of our nation’s history, we don’t have time to shame, blame and guilt others,” she said. “We have to look at what we can do to move forward. We’re bound by the same history, whether we had a hand in it or not. Our history is shared.”
Carter-Cooper said there are ways to make both big and small changes.
“There are so many areas that impact where we are and where we’re going,” she said. “In 2022, one step every single person can take is to know your nation’s history and the impact of the systems today. We haven’t made those connections. Nobody wants to talk about how history has influenced where we are today.”
Another step is learning the long-term and generational affect slavery has had of Black people, she said, which includes trauma from rape and other brutality.
“There was no therapy, no support for all those things and that’s not separate from the residual impact from slavery,” she said. In 2022 terms, that means gaps in education and employment, increased depression and mental illness that could be addressed.
Her suggestions for people and organizations include:
Learn about local Black businesses and support them.
Plan events in mostly white communities by partnering with Black residents and groups, especially when planning Juneteenth celebrations. “Stop making decisions for the Black community,” she said. “They have a voice and a whole history.”
Avoid exploiting events such as Juneteenth or Black History Month for marketing or branding purposes. “There are so many products on the market directed toward Black hair and skin, but those companies don’t have Black owners. When you’re planning, marketing and developing, one thing you can do is bring Black people into your organization. This is not about ‘helping’ them. This is a win for innovation, creativity and thoughtfulness.”
The most important act, she said, is to have civil conversations, even if they’re uncomfortable.
“I think the people should know it’s normal to feel scared and uncomfortable and uneasy but we can’t have the outcomes if we don’t get uncomfortable,” she said. “Band around people that you trust, who can push you.”
Changes should continue to evolve, she said. “It won’t be easy but it will be worth it.”