Celebrating Juneteenth, Celebrating Progress

Dear Colleagues,
 
On Monday, June 20, we will join colleagues across Duke for a celebration of freedom in which we can all take part. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached the enslaved people of Texas, years after it was issued. On that day, our nation began to realize that no one is free until everyone is free—a lesson we are still learning today. This is the reason behind our newest federal holiday.
 
Since Juneteenth falls on a Sunday this year, it will be celebrated on Monday, June 20. I encourage everyone to observe the holiday by engaging in commemorative community activities, reflecting on the progress we’ve made through Moments to Movement, and recommitting to our promise to improve the human experience at Duke Health.
 
At Duke Health, we honor the full spectrum of diversity, and we value the richness that our differences bring to us. We have pledged that equity is our goal, inclusion is our practice, and belonging is the desired result. This is how we build upon the gifts that each of us brings to our mission of advancing health together.

Sincerely,

A. Eugene Washington, MD
Chancellor for Health Affairs, Duke University
President and CEO, Duke University Health System