Juneteenth: A Chance to Expand our Awareness

Juneteenth is a day of celebration, remembrance and awareness. It commemorates the emancipation of enslaved black people in the United States and 250,000 people in Texas who were made aware of their freedom on June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston. Despite the Emancipation Proclamation going into effect in 1863, many black communities would not be informed they were free until a full two years later. In its third year as a federally-recognized holiday, Juneteenth is a celebration of the resiliency of African American communities across the United States, while also offering an opportunity for reflection on the ongoing challenges many communities face in achieving equity in health and wellbeing.

Today, it is impossible to disentangle health inequities from root causes, such as systemic biases. To get to health equity, we must remove the obstacles in our societies and communities that prevent wellbeing. As such, Juneteenth calls us to practice awareness—awareness of health inequities, their root causes and how to eliminate them.

Health inequities are health differences or disparities that are systematic, unfair and avoidable.  A 22-year study, which concluded in 2020 during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, discovered an excess of 1.63 million deaths in the black U.S. population compared to the White population, resulting in more than 80 million excess years of life lost. In addition, health inequities surged during COVID, with the pandemic exacerbating the challenges that historically marginalized communities face.

Because racial categories are so enmeshed in our society, many of us do not realize race is a social, not a biologic, idea. The health inequities that persist today across all health domains including infant mortality, maternal mortality, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many other medical conditions are due to how the experience of structural bias, in all facets of life, accumulates in the bodies of people marginalized due to their apparent racial category or other aspect of their identity, such as disability status, LGBTQ+ identity, etc., and how those identities affect the availability of the building blocks of health.

For some of us, those building blocks of health are readily available–safe and decent housing, clean air, safe drinking water, safe places to be physically active, availability of healthy and affordable food and reliable transportation to living wage jobs. These building blocks of health are also known as the social or structural determinants of health. Just like we collectively create health, we collectively create health inequities. 

We all have a role to play in addressing these inequities. The CDC Foundation works closely with community organizations and local partners to address long-standing health inequities. Community organizations and community members, through their deep-rooted partnerships with state and local health departments, health care organizations, local businesses and employers, other governmental organizations and others, come together to address the unique needs of each community. Today, we are working toward a shared vision of everyone having a fair opportunity to attain their highest level of health.

Health is more than the absence of disease. It is not just about surviving. It’s about thriving. This Juneteenth, let us celebrate the resilience in our communities and all reinvigorate our commitment to everyone living their healthiest life. 

Image Credit: National Museum of African American History and Culture. The Freedom Quilt is part of the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Virginia Dwan.