Freedom Means More Than Emancipation

At TEP, we are celebrating Juneteenth, along with the ideals of liberation it brings. Though this holiday marks the end of chattel slavery in the United States, we must persist toward the end of systems that keep Black families economically bound today. So far, emancipation hasn’t come with any form of repair, capital, or healing. Black communities are still fighting to access the wealth and resources that were systematically denied for generations, and because this economic violence is allowed to continue in Black communities, other marginalized groups suffer, too. This is why liberation for Black people has such powerful, exponential potential.

Our new white paper, “Weaving Economic Empowerment through K–12 Education and Black Neighborhoods,” uncovers how historic disinvestment and school funding inequities perpetuate injustice. It shows how education, neighborhood design, and public policy have been shaped to lock out Black students and families.

This Juneteenth, we advance liberation by confronting modern barriers. We advocate for policies such as child tax credits, student debt relief, and equitable school funding to help families thrive.