The legacy of Juneteenth is more. It is more than just a holiday, and it is more than just a celebration of freedom. The legacy of Juneteenth is a statement about freedom. As this holiday recognizes the delayed freedom of enslaved Americans, the legacy left behind is a timeless message: Freedom will not be celebrated, nor declared, until the last of us are free.

This message, which I see as an admirable refusal, emerged in 1865 and is more relevant than ever in 2026. In Woodlawn, we are accepting it as a charge—a charge to refuse to declare freedom until the Last Place has crossed the finish line. We recognize and acknowledge that freedom—whether financial, physical, spiritual, or mental—is incomplete when only a portion of our community has it. This is a part of the legacy we are building.

For the past year, I have had the opportunity to work on the Programs Team, and I believe it is safe to say that, in everything we do, we celebrate the Last Place. With our hands and our hearts invested in more than 30 programs throughout the Kingston-Woodlawn community, we are doing everything in our power to ensure that no child, no adult, and no soul is left behind.

The week of Juneteenth also marks the beginning of two new programs that reflect what celebrating the Last Place looks like in practice. Through Read 2 Rise, we are walking alongside children who have fallen behind in reading and math, providing individualized support so they are not left to navigate those gaps alone. Through the Navigators Program, we are pairing young people with mentors who can help them build confidence, find direction, and feel supported beyond the classroom. These programs are not just about tutoring or mentorship. They are about refusing to let a child's future be determined by the gaps around them.

After all, that is what it is about—the one child left out, the one adult left behind, the one heart that needs healing. Our programs are designed to help residents find freedom through education, well-being, and a stable community. If freedom is more about inclusivity and equity than the declaration itself, we must be willing to ask the harder questions:

What does freedom look like if a child cannot read?

What does freedom look like for someone who does not have access to healthy food?

What does freedom look like for someone who cannot afford housing?

It looks incomplete. It feels unfinished.

As we walk into Juneteenth, we accept its message with pride. We celebrate the Last Place not because it is last, but because no community reaches its full potential until the Last Place has crossed the finish line.