Happy Juneteenth! Firm Chair, Chris Balch, shares his thoughts:
As a federal holiday, Juneteenth is now part of our cultural vocabulary, but many of us—me included—may not have known much, or anything, about it until the last few years. Considered America’s second Independence Day, it also known as Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, and Black Independence Day.
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 and this year 28 states and Washington, DC, will recognize it as a state holiday. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States as of June 19, 1865. For me, Juneteenth is an opportunity for celebration, for reflection, and for education. The celebrating part is easy. As outlined in the June 2 edition of the firm's All In DEI newsletter, there are events in almost all of our markets honoring Black culture, empowerment, and achievements through festivals, parades, musical performances, literature, poetry readings, and more.
The reflection and learning aspects of Juneteenth require intentional effort. These are some useful resources if you would like a place to start:
As a firm, we continue to support racial justice pro bono matters under our racial justice pro bono policy, and members of the firm serve in leadership roles in racial justice organizations such as the Denver Law Firm Coalition for Racial Equity, the Center for Legal Inclusiveness, the Utah Center for Legal Inclusion, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Colorado Lawyers Committee, and others.
Throughout the year—in our work, communication, policies, and interactions with one another—we strive to maintain a workplace that nourishes and respects the dignity of each individual. For management and firm leadership, continuing to make Holland & Hart a more equitable and inclusive workplace is a strategic priority, and we welcome suggestions that help us do our part as a firm.