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Juneteenth is the oldest annual commemoration of the ending of slavery. After the horrific verdict in the Philando Castile case, recording artist Chaka Khan takes a special moment to remember the importance of this day. The recent verdict made us take a moment to think about all of the Black families who celebrated Father’s Day after facing similar tragedies.

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Khan shares with TV One, “I sincerely believe we have an opportunity to raise awareness about it in the context of the longstanding problems Black people have endured since our enslavement in this country and many others.”

Using the hashtags #BlackAndILoveMyself and #Juneteenth, Khan encourages the world to bring awareness to the importance of Juneteenth by posting motivating thoughts about Black pride.

Thanks Chaka Khan for making us stop for a second to remember the many black men such as: Philando Castile, Sean Bell, Alton Sterling, and Oscar Grant who didn’t get to celebrate Father’s Day this past Sunday. As we celebrate another year of emancipation, we remember that there is still a ways to go before true freedom is ever really achieved and we remember the many black and beautiful lives that we have lost along the way.

Tell Us: What is your #Juneteenth message for the world?

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