THE STORY OF JUNETEENTH, which is about freedoms granted and freedoms delayed, resonates with impact today.
American freedoms are under threat to a greater degree than at any time in recent memory. Academic freedom, freedom of expression, artistic freedom, and freedom of assembly are just a few of the core American rights now at risk on several fronts.
On paper, our nation remains a democracy. But not unlike illiberal democracies such as Hungary, India and Indonesia, we are discovering that freedoms can be eroded or erased, even as they remain enshrined in the Constitution.
This is not unlike what happened to enslaved persons in Texas, which failed to officially abolish slavery until a full two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. It wasn’t till Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865 to spread the news of and enforce that proclamation, that actual emancipation came to the Lone Star State.
It’s a reminder that freedom on paper is not the same as freedom in fact. Our nation was founded on principles of liberty, but we’ve often failed to live up to them. As Juneteenth teaches us, freedom can never be taken for granted.
CELEBRATE AMERICA’S MOST CIVIC PASTIME with some of our region’s most civic people! Join The Civic Circle for a night of summer collegiate baseball with Bethesda Big Train on Sunday, July 20, when we’ll throw out the ceremonial opening pitch as that evening’s “Community Heroes.”
Enjoy a night of baseball, food, and fun, and support democracy and civic learning—all at the same time. Big Train baseball at Povich field is “the ultimate small-town fantasy,” says The Washington Post’s Marc Fisher, so reserve your tickets HERE!
Big thanks to John Peyman, father of Civic Circle board member Adam Peyman, for stepping forward to throw that opening pitch! John has a distinguished civic background as a research scientist in industry, academia and government, and he’s played and coached baseball and softball recreationally. Thank you, John! We also extend big gratitude to Bethesda Big Train for this opportunity. The game starts at 7 p.m. and doors open at six. Hope to see you there!
MARYLAND CORPS MEMBERS Cam Kelly and Meleny Arias-Ramos are wrapping up their year of service with The Civic Circle, and we extend thanks and bid them a fond farewell. These two Montgomery County high school graduates grew tremendously as members of our team, helping with program development and administration, and working directly with students in workshops. Both cited their classroom experiences as program year highlights. As Cam put it, helping in workshops “allowed me to really connect with the students and build a rapport with them.” Meleny said that she “loved” teaching students about the seven “steps to democracy,” and that seeing how much they learned and improved was “amazing.” Thank you, Cam and Meleny! And thanks to the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation for making this service year possible.
SPEAKING OF SERVICE, The Civic Circle is launching recruitment for our AmeriCorps VISTA opening, which starts later this summer. This is a great opportunity to make a valuable social impact while gaining skills in program development, marketing, evaluation and nonprofit governance. This position includes full benefits, professional training opportunities, and tuition assistance. Apply HERE! Please forward this listing to someone you think might be interested. We thank Transform Mid-Atlantic for its ongoing sponsorship of this position, which was not among those eliminated in recent federal AmeriCorps cutbacks. We also thank our current VISTA, Conner Barron, who remains with us for a few more weeks, for his lasting contribution to The Civic Circle.
THE CIVIC CIRCLE'S MISSION remains more urgent than ever, at a time of upheaval in the lives of young people, and in our nation. To support freedom, democracy, and civic learning at a crucial juncture, please click HERE.