REFLECTIONS ON JUNETEENTH

This Sunday, June 19, is Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of ending slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was June 19th when federal soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and those enslaved were now free. This was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth offers an opportunity to build greater awareness and appreciation of Black culture and history, learn about race in America, and take action to support black communities.

YOUR PURCHASE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

This year in honor of the holiday, Brookfield Place + Manhattan West have partnered with the Brookfield Black Professionals Network to make a donation to the Buffalo Together Fund, which provides financial support to the Buffalo community. The fund is working directly in the community impacted by the May 2022 mass shooting in East Buffalo, a historically Black neighborhood, by ensuring the availability of financial resources, mental health services, and addressing longer-term, systemic issues of racial justice.

On June 19th, Brookfield Place and Manhattan West will donate $10 of every retail purchase to the Buffalo 5/14 Survivors Fund, up to $20,000.

ABOUT THE BUFFALO 5/14 SURVIVORS FUND

On May 14, 2022, the Buffalo community suffered a devastating act of violence when a gunman opened fire at the Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue, killing ten people and wounding three.

In partnership with Tops, the National Compassion Fund has established the Buffalo 5/14 Survivors Fund to provide direct financial assistance to the survivors of the deceased and those directly affected by this tragedy. One hundred percent of the contributions donated to this Fund will go directly to survivors and victims of this tragedy. The National Compassion Fund is the leading authority on financial assistance to victims of mass casualty events. It is a subsidiary of the National Center for Victims of Crime, the nation’s leading resource and advocacy center for victims of all types of crime.

JUNETEENTH RESOURCES

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