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Leading with Intention: Juneteenth and Inclusive Leadership in the Workplace

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Juneteenth marks Emancipation Day, a historic moment recognized as a U.S. federal holiday since 2021. However, in today's shifting cultural landscape, how organizations observe Juneteenth still varies widely.


Right now, workplaces generally fall along a spectrum:

  • Organizations that recognize it as a paid or floating holiday.

  • Organizations that acknowledge the day through programming, communication, or education, without making it a day off.

  • Organizations that continue business as usual without acknowledgment.

  • Organizations that recognized Juneteenth in recent years but are now reconsidering that commitment amid shifting priorities.


We have not yet reached the point where Juneteenth is observed with the same consistency as other major national holidays. For leadership teams, navigating this landscape is a meaningful part of the inclusion journey.


The Evolution of Juneteenth

To understand where we are today, it helps to look at how we got here:

  • 1863: The Emancipation Proclamation declares enslaved people free in Confederate states, though enforcement is limited and uneven.

  • 1865: On June 19, Union troops arrive in Galveston, Texas, to enforce emancipation and announce freedom to enslaved people there. Later that year, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery nationwide.

  • 1866: The first Juneteenth celebrations take place in Texas.

  • 1968: The holiday gains broader national visibility through the Poor People's Campaign.

  • 1980: Texas becomes the first state to establish Juneteenth as an official state holiday.

  • 1997: Congress passes a resolution recognizing Juneteenth Independence Day as a day of observance.

  • 2016: Opal Lee, then 89 years old, begins an annual 2.5-mile symbolic walk advocating for Juneteenth to become a federal holiday — the distance representing the two and a half years it took for news of emancipation to reach enslaved people in Texas. She would go on to walk 1,400 miles from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., delivering 1.5 million signatures to Congress.

  • 2020: Following a national racial reckoning, many companies began formally recognizing Juneteenth, often as a paid holiday.

  • 2021: President Joe Biden signs the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, establishing it as a federal holiday — the first new federal holiday since 1983. Opal Lee, now known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," stands beside him at the signing.

  • 2022: Lee continues her advocacy work, publishing a children's book on Juneteenth. Corporate recognition of the holiday continues to expand across industries.

  • 2024: Lee receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her decades of advocacy.

  • 2025 and beyond: As cultural and political pressures around DEI initiatives intensify, organizations face growing questions about how — and whether — to continue observing Juneteenth meaningfully.


Today, this momentum is taking tangible physical form. The Obama Presidential Center's Grand Opening Ceremony is scheduled for June 18, 2026, with the Center opening to the public during Grand Opening Weekend beginning June 19, 2026. Opening during Juneteenth weekend, this historic milestone stands as a powerful symbol of democratic engagement and leadership. It serves as a reminder that the work of inclusion is not static — it is a continuous, living history that we build together.


Your Team Is Paying Attention

Juneteenth is a deeply meaningful occasion for many of your team members. They notice how you, as a leader, set the tone. They notice whether you support education and awareness and how seriously you engage with the day's meaning.

Consider, for example, how much you know about the Fourth of July versus Juneteenth, and actively work to bridge that gap.


Overcoming the Fear of "Getting It Wrong"

There is often an unwritten rule that says, "Anything tied to slavery can be dicey to navigate — better to steer clear to avoid saying the wrong thing or facing backlash."

But silence is a choice, too.


As an inclusive leader, you "get it wrong" when fear keeps you from learning and engaging. We live in a time when families are beautifully complex and diverse; avoid assuming that Juneteenth only matters to a small, isolated group.


How to Show Up and Lead Inclusively During Juneteenth and Beyond

So, how do you navigate Juneteenth effectively?

Show that you care, acknowledge the day, and embrace the celebration. This does not have to be a massive corporate undertaking. You can participate in existing programming within your organization, look to local libraries, or highlight meaningful cultural milestones.


If your organization has not yet prioritized Juneteenth, you can still create space for it within your immediate circle. Consider hosting a low-cost, high-impact lunch-and-learn for your team. Leaders set the tone. When you show a genuine commitment to inclusion, your team will follow suit.


Will everyone get it at the same time? Probably not. But an inclusive leader is a trailblazer who sparks organizational change.


Reflect Before You Act

Before launching an initiative, take some time to reflect. The Black community is experiencing real setbacks that may surface as people contemplate the deeper meaning of Juneteenth. Some communities are affected by efforts to reduce voting rights. There is news about discrimination occurring against Black service members in the military. People are paying attention to what is happening and wondering how they may be affected now or in the future.


A few questions to ponder as you craft your leadership approach to Juneteenth:

  • What do I truly believe about Juneteenth?

  • Why is this holiday important to me? If you are struggling with this, shift the lens: why is Juneteenth important to our organization and the communities we serve?

  • How effective am I at influencing others? Just like getting buy-in for a new business project, you may need to build buy-in for inclusion efforts. Are you willing to make this a priority?


This is not just something to consider on June 19th — it is an ongoing commitment. Your role as an inclusive leader will continue to evolve as the times change and as you grow in this work. Let this Juneteenth be a moment of genuine reflection on where you are in this work.


Moving Forward

Inclusive leaders have to navigate a lot of noise, especially when there is cultural turbulence around diversity initiatives. As you move forward, give yourself grace to learn. Stay committed to the journey of creating an inclusive workplace. If you need to scale back your goals to make them manageable, do it. Remember, you are allowed to stumble a bit. Mistakes happen. What matters is acknowledging the slip-up, learning from it, and keeping the path moving forward.


Additional Resources for Your Journey

Want to take this further? These two Forbes pieces offer additional strategies for leading with empathy and celebrating Juneteenth authentically:


Simone E. Morris is the founder and CEO of Simone Morris Enterprises, a WBENC-certified inclusive leadership consultancy, and the founder of the Inclusive Leadership Impact Awards. She partners with organizations across the financial services, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries — as well as mission-driven nonprofits — that prioritize authentic, inclusive leadership excellence.


📅 Interested in exploring how we can support your organization's leadership development, facilitation, or speaking needs? Book a complimentary strategy conversation at callwithsimone.com.


Note: The ideas, insights, and experiences in this article are my own. AI was used as an editorial tool to help organize and refine the content.

 
 
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