Today, the Council of Minnesotans of African Heritage (the Council) plans to celebrate the 155th year of Juneteenth, along with many others across this nation. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Today, the Minnesota Senate plans to adjourn the legislature’s special session without passing any substantial, meaningful police reform. Needless to say, we find this very disappointing and poorly timed. The Council is calling on Governor Walz, Senate Majority Leader Gazelka and Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman to negotiate meaningful police reform. Minnesotans of African heritage all across the state hope that Senator Paul Gazelka sincerely stands by his own words and fights for “justice for the Black community.”
