Community
National Day of Empathy comes to Capitol Hill
NASHVILLE PRIDE — The Nashville community joined the entire county in celebrating the National Day of Empathy on March 5. According to Bureau of Justice statistics, over 2.3 million people are behind bars in the United States, which is more than any other nation in the world.
By Pride Newsdesk
The Nashville community joined the entire county in celebrating the National Day of Empathy on March 5.
According to Bureau of Justice statistics, over 2.3 million people are behind bars in the United States, which is more than any other nation in the world.
The third annual Day of Empathy, one of the largest national days of action for criminal justice reform in history, drew thousands of participants at events in 40 states and millions more were engaged online.
“In order to reform our criminal justice system, we must first humanize and empathize with those who are impacted by it,” said event organizers. “This includes crime survivors and those who have committed crimes.”
The Day of Empathy was started by Dream Corps, which began the program, #cut50, three years ago as a national bipartisan initiative to safely and smartly reduce the U.S. incarcerated population by 50% over the next 10 years.
“The goal is to build empathy in our governors, state legislators, and other policymakers to act on criminal justice and to humanize through personal interaction with impacted persons of the criminal justice system—also to show legislators that this is about the lives of the impacted people, their spouses, their children, their parents, and their friends, crime survivors, and their communities,” according to the group’s press release.
In Nashville, Americans impacted by the criminal justice system met with lawmakers at the state capitol to share their stories and experiences.
Sen. Robinson, along with Rep. Harold Love of Nashville and Rep. Rick Staples of Knoxville, joined with a number of national organizations to highlight incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals working to transform themselves, share the obstacles that people with a criminal record are going through and focus on those that are desperately seeking a second chance. They were joined by community members impacted by crime, public safety issues and violence.
“The National Day of Empathy is designed to shine a light on people impacted by the criminal justice system to uplift their voices and win over hearts and minds towards the idea that transformation is possible,” said the lawmakers.
A recent poll commissioned by a bipartisan coalition consisting of Justice Action Network, the ACLU of Tennessee and the conservative group Right on Crime found that 69% of voters believe the state’s criminal justice system “needs significant improvements.”
Additionally, the study found that 90% of Tennesseans favor reducing prison time for non-violent offenders. Over 80% of respondents are in favor of getting rid of mandatory minimum sentences and in favor of money bail reform.
Gov. Bill Lee signs executive order addressing public safety
On the National Day of Empathy, Tennessee Governor Bill lee issued an executive order to establish the Tennessee Criminal Justice Investment Task Force, a promise he had made during his State of the State address.
The sixth executive order issued under his leadership comes after Gov. Lee outlined comprehensive plans to address public safety in Tennessee amid higher rates of violent crime and recidivism. The incarcerated population of Tennessee has grown by 34% since 2000, despite six consecutive years of reduced admissions to the criminal justice system.
“There is a high cost to crime in our state and we need to consider who is paying the price for this: victims pay the price, families pay the price and taxpayers pay the price,” said Lee.
“Our task force is committed to building smart solutions that make our neighborhoods safer.” Gov. Lee appointed Senior Advisor to the Governor and former Judge Brandon Gibson of Crockett County, to chair the task force with appointments including crime victims and their families, members of the General Assembly, state agencies, law enforcement, community and faith-based programs, and formerly incarcerated individuals.
Over the next two legislative sessions, the task force will develop legislative and budgetary recommendations regarding the following public safety issues: Crime prevention and recidivism reduction Punishing violent crime promptly and effectively
Supporting crime victims and their families
Addressing mental health and substance abuse among the incarcerated
Revising sentencing guidelines and parole/ probation standards
Addressing the rising fiscal and social costs of incarceration
Preparing inmates to re-enter society and find pathways outside of crime through education and technical job training
Equipping inmates’ families and communities with tools to help inmates become productive members of society
In addition to the task force, Gov. Lee has proposed measures to crack down on fentanyl traffickers, increase pay for corrections officers and law enforcement, reduce expungement fees and increase educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals.
This article originally appeared in the Nashville Pride.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

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EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025
The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160th anniversary, I went there to join them.
You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.
After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”
“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.
Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.
The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.
As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.
Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.
And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.
Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.
Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.
I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.
I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.
In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.
For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.
So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.
Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.
I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”
Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.
#NNPA BlackPress
Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.
In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.
Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.
In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.
Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.
West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.
Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.
“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”
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