DISCO discusses racial topics and Juneteenth with Nia

In recognition of Juneteenth,  DISCO discusses racial topics and personal experiences with Nia

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Welcome to Disco, diverse and inclusive stream of conscious observations, where we take big conversations, add a little rhythm, a little humor, and a whole lot of truth. Today's episode is special. We're calling it Juneteenth through generations because Juneteenth isn't just a date on the calendar. It's a story that has been carried, protected, celebrated, and reimagined by many. Today we're diving into how Juneteenth has been understood, taught, and lived across time, from the elders who have held the history close to the younger generations who are redefining with freedom and celebration what that would look like now. So settle in, open your mind. Let's honor the past. Let's celebrate the present and imagine the future together across generations, right here on Disco.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Hello. My name is Timber. I'm your host. And with me, as always, is my fellow host.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

Hello, it's me, Selena. And today we have a guest. And our guest is actually somebody who I genuinely admire and respect her opinion. We got Nia in the house, and we're diving into Juneteenth across generations. Nia is a 22-year-old woman that will provide her perspective of her own and give us some of what Gen Z thinks about Juneteenth. Welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_03 1:20

Hello, hello. Hi, Jenny. Of course.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

So we're just going to kind of just um first off, I want to, in the beginning of this, just give a quick intro for any of those who are unfamiliar with what Juneteenth is and Juneteenth Path. I'm just going to sum up exactly what the Juneteenth represents for all of us. So on Juneteenth, on June 19th, 1865, it was the day the Union troops made their way to Gaviston Bay, Texas, and announced for the last enslaved black people that they were finally free. This happened two years. It took two years after President Lincoln actually issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which actually two and a half years, because that was on January 1st, 1863. So the general order number three, the people of Texas are informed that in accordance with the proclamation from the executive of the United States, all slaves are free. The first celebration was organized and recognized on this day, which was one year later, on June 19th, 1866. This was the start of the long-standing tradition. But sadly, traditions don't seem to go through, they seem to go through a period of time where they're not being as recognized by many. When this recently became a federal holiday, many were unaware of what it was and the significance of it. So one thing that that has shown is over the years, freedom is a process. It's not a moment. So today we're gonna just talk about how each of us learned about Juneteenth throughout the times. Uh why don't we first I'm gonna start with you because you're our guest. Okay. Yeah. On that when have you always known about Juneteenth, or is this something that you newly learned about?

SPEAKER_02 3:07

Uh so I didn't really learn too much about Juneteenth, nor did I ever even know what it was until kind of later. I probably like first even heard the name, like late middle school, early high school. And I graduated in 2021. So that that to give perspective here, so I didn't even really know what it was till kind of later in my middle school careers for sure.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

And then um, Timber, how about you? When was the first time you heard about Juneteenth?

SPEAKER_00 3:41

I think when it became that federal holiday. That was your I I didn't, I mean, it never got occurred to me as a celebration even nationwide. We never I think we recognized it in high school or something like that on the day of, you know, because it's something we've all studied through American history, but it never never was a celebration day anywhere.

SPEAKER_01 4:05

See, for me growing up here, actually in Minneapolis, uh, when I was in high school and in junior high, there was a Juneteenth celebration every year that would happen. And it was a big celebration. It would happen over in North Minneapolis. Um, typically it was on uh Penn Avenue. Um, there was times that they changed it and moved it. There was down Theodoreworth Parkway, but it would happen every year. It was a huge celebration, unfortunately. Along with this celebration came a lot of violence during some times. There was a lot of fights that broke out. I'm from the era of fights, not shooting. So um for us, there was a lot of fights that broke out. And um, due to that, they decided to first they they moved it and then they canceled it, and then they brought it back, and then they just finally canceled it all the way. Um, and so there was no more real celebration for Juneteenth after that. But I do remember growing up, coming up and going to the Juneteenth celebrations that that we would have. It was, you know, whole row there'd be different foods that were there, vineyards. It's just like your normal fairs that you would see otherwise, like a uptown art fair, how they're all down the street and there's different vendors and they're out. That's how it was. But it was more for Juneteenth and representing uh the black culture and freedom. So I actually knew about it growing up. And I I learned about it in school, actually as well. I learned about it in elementary school, I remember, um, was taught. So for me, it's it's a history for myself that was taught the same as Fourth of July. Actually, I think I learned more about Juneteenth than I did about Fourth of July. I learned more about Fourth of July growing up, like as I got older. But otherwise, Fourth of July was just affiliated to me with fireworks.

unknown 5:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:55

You know, that's for me too.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Barbecues and fireworks. That's what the Fourth of July was to me. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

And where where I grew up was pre predominantly white. We had if anybody of was of color, they were Native American. Yeah. Um, almost exclusively for my area of northern Wisconsin. You know, there's a few people of color, of others blacks or um other races, but you know, the most of them were down in the Twin Cities when I would only visit my parent who was down here at the time.

SPEAKER_03 6:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

So it was just, it was never we would celebrate Earth Day. I think that's a big celebration, big big week for us, but that was about it.

SPEAKER_01 6:36

Wow. We never celebrated Earth Day down here. Didn't know really what that was at all.

SPEAKER_02 6:43

When you first started learning about it in high school, you said that was your first time that you Yeah, because um, like during that time, like it really wasn't, and that shocks me because we really grew up in different eras for real. Because if, and I wouldn't understand how you would know this, my birthday's on the 4th of July. So I would I I kind of it's funny because I took that day as that day was for me. Like for the independence day. Like I was falsely like, like, oh, that day is for me. Yeah. So I kind of just grew up just knowing that day. And as far as like Juneteenth, it was really almost never brought up in schools. Like it was like, like you would see the flyers and seeing, like, oh, there'll be this Juneteenth celebration, there'll be this. But I'm like, but what's Juneteenth? Like, I I wasn't really taught it in school. Like I had to go elsewhere to, I guess, find the education behind Juneteenth. Like, I mean, in school, they kind of tell you like the basics and that's it. Like, oh, it's the day slaves got freed. Um, oh, okay. But there that was the line. Like that was there was no more after that. So I had to um kind of do my own research on Juneteenth myself. But and now that's like my favorite, that's that's our day. Like I I yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:06

Yeah. Um, do you think um there's more or less kids that are your and you're from your generation that are aware of Juneteenth? And if they are aware of it, do you how many of them actually do you think find value or appreciate it?

SPEAKER_02 8:23

That's how I kind of learn with people my age, because especially like on social media as well, like there's a lot of people use that platform as an opportunity to spread awareness. So I for sure, like I when I was at the VA, when I used to be at the VA, there was quite a few people around my age just to just to celebrate the dancers, the cookouts, the food trucks, like all of them, like they were maybe around my age. And I personally love that so much because there's more awareness of it now compared to back then, because they probably didn't know about it probably just the same amount of time that I did. So, like, yeah, just wouldn't say that much. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:11

It actually leads me to one of my questions I was gonna ask you like, do you feel as if social media has actually helped or hurt the um awareness of the holiday and you know, it being received.

SPEAKER_02 9:27

I'm trying to figure out the best way to word this. Um, I would say maybe a mixture of both. Because again, like people use social media as a platform to spread awareness, to share their own testimonies of how they do relate to the injustice, the inequalities, like I like for sure. But at the same time, social media I feel like can be suppressed into like almost like aesthetics, like almost like, oh, it's Juneteenth. Let me post something. Like it's just like instead of people actually sitting down and actually learning about what it is, and sometimes it can be perceived as oh, it's just something to post compared to the actual like deal of what it is. So like I but so I think it kind of goes into play of both, and I'm that's not with every person that that posts about Juneteenth, but I feel like with social media, especially in the generation that we're living now, everything is just kind of quick takes or this is today. Let's but at the same time, like people not following it up with some type of education. That's not always, that's not with everybody, but with social media, that's just kind of that's just kind of what it is.

SPEAKER_00 10:44

Do you think we post out of obligation? Like maybe I should post something just so as I fit in. I'm actually oh, I I care, so here I'm gonna post something.

SPEAKER_02 10:53

Sometimes like I feel like because whatever's the trend, it that's what people want to hop on. Because it's it's the trend. So I mean like sometimes it may be like, yeah, you feel obligated to because oh, it's the trend going on, and oh, let me hop on that bandwagon. But then once the quote unquote trend or day is over, it's like, oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

Well it disappears into the past. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 11:18

Like it's non existent. And that's not even with holidays, that's just period. Like that's just with trends, period. Like it's only yeah, a thing for so long before the next big thing is gonna be a thing. That's just how that's just how it is. How trends work? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

And any day of significance, you know. Oh Timber, you didn't post something, why didn't you?

SPEAKER_01 11:41

Right.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

It really does depend on the platform, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 11:44

Yeah, I think the platform and and you know, your followers, your normal routine and so forth as as well kind of goes into there. I have another question, Timber. This kind of includes you as well in there. So since, so for both of you, but we'll start with your preference. Um, Timber, I want to know actually what your view on this. Like, since it has become a federal holiday that is recognized federally uh throughout, at least it should be recognized um federally throughout. Has anything like have it any, did you, how did you expect it to be received? Are there, do you see the celebrations happening the way that you imagined when you see that a new federal holiday, Andor? Or do you think that it's just being, you know, what's your view on that of it becoming the federal holiday and what has happened since it has become it?

SPEAKER_00 12:31

Putting it like that, I think um, I think it's not celebrated enough. But I think when it first came out, I was a completely different person than I am now. Um, I think when I when it first came out, I think the thought that I went through my head is like, really? We're doing that. Um but now as I've grown and getting to know you and through the class that we had, the the diversity and equity class, I've changed my mindset quite a bit, rewired my brain on a lot of things. And um it's good, but I think there needs to be more education now about it because it has just become blurred into the past. And we talk more about Lincoln signing the Emancipation Act, and but that's about it. We don't really talk about the history and what even went through the whole world just through the destruct this, the the destructive force of slavery it had on the entire world. And so you like you said, yeah, like the we need to be educated more and spend more time talking about it.

SPEAKER_01 13:46

Yeah, yeah. I think it's uh desperate, as you're saying that spend be educated more and spend more time talking, but it is it's really needed right now, considering how much of our history is trying to be erased and taken from us to be able to talk about. That's why I felt like this podcast was really important. And I really wanted to get like your perspective being younger generation um from it and to see, and of course yours timber too, but um just to see like are we what's what's our what's the future of Juneteenth looking like?

SPEAKER_02 14:18

Yeah, just even like and yeah, just to piggyback off that, like even just like within the past like few years, it's just like we're going backwards and it's like we can't be doing that. So it's just like to piggyback off the whole education thing. I feel like if people had more education and actually understood the context, it would be more respected. So I yeah, but as far as like the because at the end of the day, each generation, we are the future. So it's like we have, we have to like we can't just let our history be erased. We can't go backwards, we can't have our voices be quiet either. So it's just like it's so important.

SPEAKER_01 14:57

Like I one thing I did notice though too, and and maybe you can explain this to me a little bit more, not with your generation. Um from I'm from a lot of the times uh family stories were told, and that's how history has been shared and told and passed down. But nowadays with the internet and social media and more of that, I feel like as if people aren't believing word of mouth, they're they're gonna go to the internet to look up to see if that really is true or something like that. And I feel like there's that's how our stories are getting lost and um different stories with inaccurate narratives are becoming told. How would you suggest? Like, is there a way to be able to basically have that trust in those stories again and not have as much for the internet and that, you know?

SPEAKER_02 15:50

Yeah, again, it's it's kind of hard because that's just how our society is. Everything is internet, everything is, you know. Um, but again, I would say just on just sitting down like this, like let's sit down, let's have a conversation, let's talk about this, like and actually being willing to want to be educated, understand someone else's point of view outside of your own. I think that that alone can build that. Definitely even outside of social media. Like it just have just sitting down and just being able to just talk about it. Like something that people don't do because we're all on our phones now. It's all computer, it's all phones, it's all, you know. So it's like it's to be able to just sit down like this, it's like, like, yes, let's sit down, let's talk to each other.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Like, yeah. Yeah. You want to meet for some coffee so we can sit down and have a chat about this? Or yeah, you know, wherever. I don't, but I I feel like there's a lot of that social part is missing. Um, and they don't want to get together to sit down and talk. Or how do we get people to come and sit down and talk? How do we get the younger generation? How do we get the other cultures who are unaware of this holiday and don't feel as if it's actually a valued holiday, which in my opinion, it's the day that America was actually free, not the 4th of July. That we did not gain independence in the 4th of July. We actually gained independence, even though independence in America is relative. But uh, we gained it on Juneteenth when everybody had it.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Right. Well, thinking about that, I was um, what about when blacks were finally had the right to vote?

SPEAKER_03 17:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

I mean, I know we're on the subject of Juneteenth, but true independence is having the right to vote. And those are two different dates between women having the right to vote and blacks having the right to vote.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

Right. And I think, you know, in saying where uh that that's the day that America was truly free, it kind of goes back to that one podcast, the podcast we did a while ago when we discussed the difference between human rights and civil rights. That's a very good point. You know, what is the difference between human rights and civil rights? And in that podcast, I stated that in my mind, the difference is civil rights proves that we're divided. That's all. Like, you know, this human rights, everybody seems to understand that that's for everyone. But civil rights seem to be something that's only has to, like, somebody has to tell you to give somebody else that's not a good idea. Because it's written. Right. Right. Right. It's not just normal.

SPEAKER_00 18:18

And that's, you know, human rights are ones that are ingrained into our behavior.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

Supposed to be. Right. You know. Um, but I think the civil rights and aspect of it should be as well. True. But, you know, kind of getting off.

SPEAKER_02 18:35

But yeah, no, but that was like straight facts, though. Because especially like going like back to vote, and another thing that I had to learn outside of school, like the three-fifths compromise for perfect example. We weren't considered human. Like we weren't. So it's just like going back to that, like, yeah, like there was, and I wish I was a part of that conversation. I'm just like, oh shoot, because she just said just just straight facts. I'm like, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:00

Well, we can come back to that.

SPEAKER_02 19:01

Yeah, like maybe the next time I'm over it.

SPEAKER_00 19:03

Because that that was one of my favorite epit episodes.

SPEAKER_01 19:06

Yeah, it was a good one. I did, I did appreciate it. If you if anybody out there listening is curious, you can go ahead, go to schoolpodcast.com and look it up. But um, yeah, and it so backed with yours, like what what is your opinion on that? On like how do we get people to want to learn, to want to sit down and have the conversation.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

Man, everything I feel like now is just it's an attraction thing. Like it's like if you were to plan like a gathering or whatever, it's just like, oh, it's what's gonna be there, who's gonna be there, what food's gonna be there. Like gotta have food. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

That's one thing. If anybody knows anything about events, if you plan it, if food. If there's food, they will come. Like that's just how it is. So that's always necessary. But it's it does matter, like particularly the food.

SPEAKER_02 19:56

Um you need like a big face or a big someone to be there in order to even feel like, but that's just how our society is now. Like you need a need a big face or you need a big voice. Exactly. You need someone there who has that. I'm not big enough yet.

SPEAKER_00 20:18

Um it shouldn't have to be as someplace where you see see or be seen. It should be a sense of the community and bringing people together and discussing the history and discussing our mistakes or achievements.

SPEAKER_02 20:30

Right. Or if it's like at a very location is a good example as well. Because we're especially my I guess generation and have the amount of brain cells. And I'm guessing it too. So I'm not, you know, but um yeah, no, especially like or if it's again the trend, or if it's the or like, oh, this gathering's going on, it's gonna be here, it's gonna be with this many people, oh, it's gonna be outside US Bank Stadium. Okay, cool, I know that area, we can go. Like it's I feel like like that that kind of really I don't know, to attract, I guess, people more because again.

SPEAKER_00 21:11

Do people feel need to feel the safe there now with the violence that's been going on?

SPEAKER_02 21:15

Oh, yeah, no, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 21:17

That's what goes through my mind is like what kind of crowd's gonna be there, and not not so much race, but how how big the crowd is. And will will I can get there okay and can I leave okay? Will it and will it be safe?

SPEAKER_02 21:29

That's crazy. I didn't even think about that, to be honest with you. Yeah, but I would say for sure, like especially like it really does depend on the area that you go to.

SPEAKER_01 21:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:38

But it's just yeah, it's a safety thing, especially with everything that's been going on. Uh literally within this past week or even in the past like few years, especially, it's just like we need to be able to feel safe in order to go there. Like we can't just I don't I I don't know how to word this without sounding Like any type of way. But it's just like, yeah, especially with people of color. I I at least with me, I take that very serious because I could be walking down the street me being myself and something could have happened to me simply because I'm me. So it it really does depend as well on yeah, how big the crowd is, how all of that is. Because if it's something that could be an easy, I guess, target, then it's like Yeah, and it's kind of messed up that we kind of have to think like that. Just because like it's you shouldn't have to. Like you should be able to go somewhere and be okay with it and be able to have fun and not worry about nothing else. But in reality, it's not always the that's not always the case.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

I'm gonna be honest. If I could get at an event and get people together, that I have that amount of people that I have to think about this, that's success. Because right now I'm like, can I just get 10 of your AIDS together to sit down and talk about it? Like, can we each just reach out to five people and share with it? Cause I feel like there's just so much, so many people that have no knowledge about it. They don't fully understand and grasp it. So I I would be honored if I could get a platform where I had to figure out safety area because I have, you know, even 500 plus people to discuss it. But it's getting them there. And how do we get there? And and to get them to talk more about it or and or to listen on the flip side. And it's not just your younger generation, it's also those who, you know, are from the an area where it's not it's not normal, where there's no other people of color.

SPEAKER_00 23:47

My generation, my race, my gender.

SPEAKER_01 23:48

Your your generation, yeah, your race and gender. Yes, yes. So how do we get that that white man, the white older man that, you know, especially um has all these biases and thoughts to come sit down at the table and open their mind. Like I also have stated multiple times, I never wish harm on anybody. I just wish experiences that enlighten them. That's all I want is for people to experience things that enlighten them to make them see and to accept each other and love each other and understand humanity. Like we talk about a lot on our podcast about humanity, because that's what we're we're pushing and wanting for. Um moreover, okay. So uh we're kind of stopped and touched on my question. So I was asking, like, what does allyship look look like for Juneteenth through your generation Z? Like those that would join, I don't know. Um what do you think that would look like?

SPEAKER_02 24:45

Uh again, I would say like again, just being able to sit down and be willing to listen, or to even not again, not be closed-minded about it. Cause like, oh, what I know about is what I know about. Like nothing out but to be at least open-minded to be able to sit down, listen, and even be educated on the topic as well. So um that's super important. And on top of that, supporting black culture, supporting black voices, supporting black community, like that on its own can really like I feel like uplift the whole movement. Because just like being able to actually sit down and not avoid it, because it could be overwhelming. It can be a little bit like almost traumatizing, I guess, in a way, especially if it like really connects to your own history. Like I understand it can be a hard conversation to have, but at least the willingness to just sit down and listen, I feel like that that and of course supports your uh community as well. That's yeah, that's as well something that can really, I feel like, at least uplift.

SPEAKER_00 25:48

What about uh enrolling of being elected into office? Run for office. Make sure that you're there's representation in the places that matter.

SPEAKER_01 26:01

I used to say the only way to change a system is to get in it.

SPEAKER_00 26:05

Right.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

Right, exactly. So I feel like yeah, exactly. So yeah, I didn't think of it like that though.

SPEAKER_00 26:12

Like I used to because I think people of color still have a trouble getting to the polls to vote.

SPEAKER_01 26:19

Well, right now, especially there's gonna be specifically speaking, but there's going to be well, right now there's going to be with all the the you know changing of the polls that they're currently doing. Like this could be a whole new, a whole nother podcast, which maybe we should probably should talk about um later on, because the way that they're changing it so that people of color are less likely to be able to go vote. And if they do go vote, there's fewer amount of them to be able to make a difference because we know that there's power in numbers. Um, and so uh the way that they're Jeremy Rand, but I just want people to vote. Like just go vote anyway, somehow, some way. And, you know, for those who find out that the voting station is nowhere near you, get a ballot, mail it in. Like you're guaranteed that way. Right.

SPEAKER_00 27:06

I know it's still hard, but it was really strange for me where I moved to out west. We don't have ballot places, it's all mail and voting. Here, I took a lot of effort and pride in that I could actually go to my local voting place to vote and cast my ballot. I know that I'm handing them a ballot in hand or getting it through the machine, you know.

SPEAKER_03 27:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

But now that uh and I can go online now and see that my mail and ballot was counted. That's nice. It was strange. So yes, still vote. If you can't get to the poll, still vote. Mail it in.

SPEAKER_01 27:39

Yeah. Yeah. To continue to help with the pushes. But yes. For Juneteenth on this, like how how do you what what do you see for the future, like for celebrations for this? And how we could, like, what does it mean to you now? What does Juneteenth mean to you or now?

SPEAKER_02 27:58

Um just getting right into it. Like um, so I mean now that I actually have an understanding of it and actually the education that I felt like I lacked, especially like in high school and everything, um, or like before like I knew about it, I would say like I still think it's something so powerful. I think it's something that we uh definitely should be celebrating and it's something that should not be bypassed. It's really to me, it's a it's just a reminder that freedom was delayed but never denied. And that can still be the case. It's gonna have to still be the case for today. So I mean, it's something so powerful, especially with all um African Americans, all they all the suffering, uh, generations they had to go through just to fight for what I mean that we have now. So it's just like I it's something there's something so beautiful and something so powerful about that that I truly respect. So it's something very much important and something that I'm happy to celebrate every time that it does come around this type of year.

SPEAKER_01 29:02

So yeah, something like you you're making me um think I had just had a conversation recently, and I don't know if I talked with you about this temper too or not, but I was talking about so since our lovely switch of politics has changed, which has been over 10 years ago, probably been like 12 years ago or so much, um, where our country has become so divided, more blatantly divided out there. I I worry, like that's 12 years. Let's say a kid was four years old when that first started, they're now 16. They've never known society not divided. And I worry about that. Like that's gonna be their next norm. That's gonna be the next norm to carry on. Where for mine, like you, we were never divided. We were more unitized than ever. Yes, there was out there's other things out there. Yes, we still dealt with like some pretty racist, but it wasn't to this extreme. It wasn't this level of people. Like I was totally, I was actually very surprised that there was that many people still felt this way to divide us, you know. Uh so I worry about that generation that's 16, 17, or these younger ones. And as we go older, if we don't hurry up and get ourselves back together and get, you know, find that unity, find the peace and love for humanity amongst us, we're gonna have a generation that's gonna teach another generation that's gonna end up creating a whole society of division again. And this is how history rewrites itself, because then you're gonna what? You're gonna have another generation that ends up fighting to bucket to say, no, I deserve it. And we're right back to where we started instead of just let's stay that way and start moving forward. So I worry about like this Juneteenth is a big thing for those younger kids in that generation to understand that there was these divisions and that this how important this day actually did become on just treating people kind. You know, it's amazing how much we give to Autism Day to be kind, but we don't give the same to Juneteenth to be kind, you know, and to love each other. Like I got frustrated. There's many corporations for this holiday. They people didn't get the day off. Even though it was now a federally recognized holiday, companies didn't give that day off still. Some gave quote unquote a floating holiday for you to be able to use however you would like to use, which to me is a smack in the face to actual day, because you're telling me that I'm, oh, since we're gonna recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday, if you want to recognize Ramadan or Hanukkah or whatever holiday else too, um, which is fine, but it's not a federally recognized holiday, you can use that federally recognized holiday for that. Because this one really doesn't matter. It's like, can I do that with the 4th of July? No, I gotta take the 4th of July off. Like, you know, I think it's frustrating to me that they're they are so nonchalant and it's not treated the same. That's the smack, is that it's treated less than the other federal holidays. And I think by it being treated less than people aren't taking it as serious. Right.

SPEAKER_00 32:30

It should be as important as the Fourth of July. Not only do we get independence from England on the fourth, um, but also, you know, the whole nother race and organization of people, millions got their independence as well. Out of a out of a suppression of a of a of a government.

SPEAKER_03 32:51

Right.

SPEAKER_00 32:51

Yeah, it's a whole nother independence day in of itself.

SPEAKER_02 32:55

Right, which is more of the reason why it should be just as equal, because Fourth of July, yeah, that's freedom, but is it? Like it's not. It's like it's not. So it's just like because not everyone was free. No, excuse me. So it's like it should be just as much recognized for sure. On the 4th of July.

SPEAKER_01 33:16

Women weren't even necessarily quote unquote free. They still like they couldn't have anything of their own. Who they who they were was their was dependent on their husband, on the man that they were with.

SPEAKER_00 33:27

Well, women only got in the what in the 60s, was it 67, 69?

SPEAKER_01 33:32

Right. They weren't, but I guess totally, I guess you could go call say the same with the Juneteenth at that time, but they were able to walk around at least and go, but you know.

SPEAKER_00 33:41

I think that's what I thought about too on the June 19th, is what what about women? Because it took another hundred years for women finally to be recognized.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

Yeah, and that's so insane to think about. It's still less than a hundred years ago. We we had the right to vote finally. So it's like it's almost my generation.

SPEAKER_00 33:59

I mean, I meant the younger side of it, it was happened before I was born, but yeah, that's yeah, that's crazy to think about.

SPEAKER_02 34:07

Yeah, for sure. Like, wow, like we need to get it together, people.

SPEAKER_01 34:12

Yeah, yeah, and start recognizing celebrating in a lot of it. What do you guys hope that our future generations carry forward with us?

SPEAKER_02 34:25

I would say for sure to continue to celebrate. Like this is something like we it it's gonna have to keep going. We need to carry it to the next. Like we we don't have a choice. We we have to. And also I want them to see that this is a reminder that again freedom was delayed but never denied. Um, and to remember to understand history truthfully, not just what you see on the internet, not just actually understanding it truthfully and actually getting your own understanding and having again having these type of conversations too to help that.

SPEAKER_01 35:09

But um, yeah, but and I think uh currently we are blessed enough that we are at a time that you have some family members that you can go back and you can ask, and they'll tell you. Like they'll they'll tell you how it was, how it is, because it's not that long ago. It's really not, and that's the craziest part. You go back through our generations, it's not that long ago at all that uh people just started becoming, you know, not so blatantly racist.

SPEAKER_03 35:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:47

And to recognize each other. Well, I would like to um, for one, thank you for coming on to our podcast because I think this has been awesome. And I'd love to hear the perspective of it and and to know, like you, your generation actually hasn't been taught it so much. Sadly, they're removing it more and more. So there's gonna be more of a push for us privately to teach somehow, come up with some event that we can get people to to sit down and talk with us to share. Um, so we can, yeah, do more learning and do more collaborating and supporting. And I and I would also like to just kind of call out. I think on Juneteenth, like, you know, how they have those days you you brought up about supporting black communities, black businesses, black residents. Like, I I challenge those to listen on that day, go to a minority business and support them on that day. You know, black, um, any Asian, like, you know, any go to a minority uh place of color and business and support them.

SPEAKER_00 36:52

There's a lot here in the Twin Cities. And there's great businesses too. There are delicious food, not to mention, I'm hungry now.

SPEAKER_01 37:02

Exactly. Yes, yes, yes. And continue to move on. Any other additional closing thoughts at all?

SPEAKER_02 37:09

Um No, I don't think too much. Um, or I'm gonna I'm gonna look at this camera right here. Continue to be loud in your voices, continue to celebrate, continue to spread history truthfully and educate yourself. Period. Go ahead, period.

SPEAKER_01 37:30

That's what she says. Period. How about Timber? You have anything to add?

SPEAKER_00 37:34

Keep talking about it and keep educating people. It's generations because we need to talk about it, we need to hear about it, we need to remember too. Because yeah, when it when it first happened, it's like it was almost non-existent to me. I don't even remember what what really went through my heart, my mind at that time, but I'm really happy that I started to focus on the education of uh of our history of of that time. And happy that we're doing this now too. You know, and because I feel ashamed quite a bit, you know, for for that I haven't actually done more of more of my part for it.

SPEAKER_01 38:12

You know, thank you for sharing that, being that vulnerable and using that shame word that a lot of people have a hard time sharing with that. And and yes, thank you, especially from those who not have any fault of their own, just weren't educated on it. You know, so let's not be fault. And, you know, hopefully if you if you did think one way and you switch it to another, that is okay, that's good. It's evolving. So let's let's all do that together. Let's continue to evolve. I guess we say with every podcast, as you guys already know for myself, my great saying is do one good deed a day for somebody else, which is actually doing one for yourself.

SPEAKER_00 38:48

And mine is love is love. You know, just yes, love one another and keep bringing peace. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 38:54

So thank you for joining Disco Podcast. See you next time.

SPEAKER_00 38:58

Yeah, goodbye, everybody.

SPEAKER_01 39:00

Bye.

SPEAKER_00 39:07

Thanks again for coming on.