Juneteenth marks the day—June 19, 1865—when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas finally learned they were free, only to learn the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed two years previous. It is a day of delayed liberation, hard truth, and enduring hope.
For North Minneapolis—where systemic inequities have shaped everything from housing and health to education and wealth—Juneteenth is more than a commemoration. It’s a reminder that freedom delayed is still injustice, and that the fight for racial equity continues. The Northside is rich in community, culture, love, and resilience, while also facing persistent barriers and disparities that trace directly back to America’s legacy as a country that became wealthy from the free and forced labor of millions of Black people for 246 years.
At NAZ, we believe that true liberation includes educational justice. That’s why we work to ensure that every scholar in our community—not just some—has a pathway to college, career, and lifelong success.
This Juneteenth, we invite you not only to reflect and learn but to take meaningful action. Liberation is not a moment—it is a movement we carry forward together. Together, let’s transform hope into change—starting now, right here in North Minneapolis. The fight for equity is ours to win.