AUSTIN, TX - JULY 13: A sign dedicated to information about the Carver Juneteenth Memorial is posted as demonstrators gather to honor the fifteenth anniversary of the death of Sandra Bland behind the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center on July 13, 2020, in Austin, Texas. Sandra Bland, a Black woman who died in 2015 while in police custody after an alleged traffic violation in Texas, was found dead in her Waller County jail cell three days after being arrested in 2015. Austin Mayor Steve Adler declared July 13, Sandra Bland Day in 2019. (Photo by Montinique Monroe/Getty Images)
<p data-pm-slice="0 0 []">It’s lit!! Roommates, this June 19th AKA <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/alicia-keys-john-legend-provide-the-good-vibes-in-celebration-of-juneteenth/">Juneteenth</a> is about to be Blacker than ever! According to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/558607-senate-passes-bill-to-make-juneteenth-a-federal-holiday">The Hill,</a> the Senate passed legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday! The unanimous decision was made today! Now to be clear, the bill S475 to still needs to pass the House, so it&#8217;s NOT final just yet!</p>
<p>However, it&#8217;s a huge step forward after a similar resolution was previously blocked in recent years by Republican senators. Texas Senator John Cornyn, who is the lead GOP sponsor, spoke out about the bill in a statement. “The freedom of all Americans that Texas celebrates every Juneteenth should be celebrated all across the nation.” Senator Cornyn continued, “The passage of this bill represents a big step in our nation’s journey toward equality. I thank my colleagues in the Senate for their support and my fellow Texans who have been celebrating this important holiday for more than a century.”</p>
<p>As ya’ll know, Juneteenth is the day we celebrate the emancipation of formerly enslaved African Americans. While the date isn&#8217;t an official reference to the end of legal slavery in the United States, it marks when enslaved people in Texas learned of their newfound freedom. On June 19, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom from slavery in Texas. This was nearly two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.</p>
<p>While this is great news, some Roommates took to our comments and expressed other significant bills that African Americans need. “I like this, but we also need a bill passed on an Anti Black Hate Crime Bill too, thanks,” commented one Roommate. Another Roommate questioned, “Where’s the Anti-lynching and anti-racism bill?”</p>
<p>Roommates, what are y&#8217;all thoughts about this?</p>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQKEfrpBVXn/?utm_source=ig_embed&#038;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div>
 <iframe class="custom-ig-embed" data-src="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQKEfrpBVXn/embed/captioned" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="640px" scrolling="no" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"></iframe>
 </div></blockquote>
<p> ;</p>
<p class="p1">Want updates directly in your text inbox? Hit us up at 917-722-8057 or <a href="https://my.community.com/theshaderoom"><span class="s1"><b>https://my.community.com/theshaderoom</b></span></a></p>
 <div class="wpra-reactions-wrap wpra-plugin-container" style="justify-content: center;;"> <div class="wpra-reactions-container" data-ver="1.3.10" data-post_id="76255" data-show_count="true" data-enable_share="onclick" data-behavior="regular" data-animation="true" data-share_url="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/the-senate-passes-a-bill-declaring-juneteenth-as-an-federal-holiday-still-awaiting-final-vote-from-the-house/" data-secure="bb78727029"> <div class="wpra-call-to-action" style="color: #000000;font-size: 25px;font-weight: 600;">What Do You Think Roomies?</div> <div class="wpra-reactions wpra-static-emojis size-medium" style="border-color: #ffffff;border-width: 0px;border-radius: 50px;border-style: solid;background: #ffffff;">					<div class="emoji-8 wpra-reaction wpra-pad-fix" data-count="" data-emoji_id="8"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-10 wpra-reaction wpra-pad-fix" data-count="" data-emoji_id="10"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-4 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="4"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-5 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="5"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-2 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="2"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-7 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="7"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div><div class="emoji-12 wpra-reaction" data-count="" data-emoji_id="12"> <div class="wpra-plus-one">+1</div>	 <div style="background-color: #ff0015" class="wpra-arrow-badge arrow-bottom-left hide-count"> <span style="border-top-color: #ff0015" class="tail"></span> <span style="color: #ffffff" class="count-num">0</span> </div>	</div> </div> <div class="wpra-share-wrap wpra-share-buttons-bordered" style="">				 </div> <!-- end of share buttons -->			 </div> <!-- end of reactions container --> </div> <!-- end of reactions wrap -->		
