At the heart of our Zumba® Love platform, we believe in equality, representation, recognition, and support for all, and that includes the Black and African American members of our community.
June 19th, also known as Juneteenth, is more than a celebration of freedom; it is the oldest nationally recognized commemorization of the ending of slavery in the United States. In cities across the country, people of all races, cultures, and religions will be joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period that shaped our history. We’re committed to using our voices and resources to support organizations and initiatives like the Juneteenth Pledge, the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance (TACA), and the NAACP that uplift, support, and advocate for respect and equality of Black people in the United States and across the world.
THE JUNETEENTH PLEDGE
Zumba® has committed to the Juneteenth Pledge, an initiative that works to make Juneteenth a permanent paid holiday, giving employees a chance to reflect, connect, and educate themselves on a profound period in time. At Zumba®, we envision a world where equality is a given, and in the spirit of moving forward together, we will be holding space within our Home Office to educate our staff on this incredibly important day.
To learn more about the Juneteenth Pledge, click here.
TACA
Founded by Zumba® Jammer Rita Cohen, TACA (Tidewater African Culture Alliance) works to unite and build solidarity through celebration of the African Diaspora through community outreach, community service, educational programs, and cultural arts and events.To learn more and make a donation to TACA, click here.
NAACP
The vision of the NAACP is, “.. to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination.” Among many initiatives, one of the focuses of this organization is, “..to advocate for equitable local, state, and federal policies that establish education standards, allocate resources, and set priorities for education and workforce systems.” To learn more about the NAACP click here.
EDUCATE YOURSELF + GET INVOLVED
Our commitment towards equality and the Black and African American community extends beyond Juneteenth. We want every day to be a celebration of Black history and Black achievement, with a purposeful effort toward amplifying Black voices, being actively anti-racist, and inspiring and supporting members of the Black and African American community to dance their truth and fearlessly pursue their potential. YOU can be a part of that mission!
Here are some thoughtful ways to get involved and educational resources to get you started. The information contained in these resources was not created by us and is being provided for general informational purposes only. We are not responsible for the content contained in these resources and make no representation regarding the accuracy, adequacy, reliability, availability or completeness of any information:
Articles to read:
- What is Juneteenth?
- The Emancipation Proclamation
- The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth
- Texas Remembers Juneteenth
Books to read:
- How to Be Antiracist – Kendi, Ibram X. | One World – 2019
- The Half Has Never Been Told – Baptist, Edward E. | Basic Books – 2019
- I’m Still Here – Brown, Austin Channing | Convergent Books – 2018
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? – Tatum, Beverly Daniel | Bold Type Books – 2017
- Stamped From the Beginning – Kendi, Ibram X. | Bold Type Books – 2016
Books to help talk to children about race:
- IntersectionAllies: We Make Room For All – Johnson, Chelsea et al. | Dottir Press – 2019
- Chocolate Me! – Diggs, Taye | Square Fish – 2015
- Separate is Never Equal – Tonatiuh, Duncan | Abram Books – 2014
Foundations to support:
- American Civil Liberties Union — aclu.org
- Equal Justice Initiative — eji.org
- Know Your Rights Camp — knowyourrightscamp.com
- NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund — naacp.org
- National Urban League — nul.org
- When We All Vote — whenweallvote.org