CULTURE
19/06/25 | From Emancipation to Resistance: Why Juneteenth Still Matters | Today as we celebrate Juneteenth – the day when, 160 years ago, Union Army General Gordon Granger and 2,000 of his soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved people of their freedom – we are reminded that freedom still remains a dream unevenly realised. On 7 February 2025, President Trump signed an executive order granting asylum to white Afrikaners from South Africa. Since the signing, 59 farmers were flown into Dulles International Airport in Virginia on a chartered U.S. government flight – all while cutting aid to that very nation, stoking fear with a baseless ‘genocide’ claim that South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola insists is untrue and has “no basis”. All of this is taking place at a time when 700 Marines and over 2,100 California National Guard troops have been deployed around Greater Los Angeles to protect federal buildings from protests and civil unrest. These demonstrations stem from what some would describe as racially motivated immigration raids on marginalised communities across LA. This stark contrast – a warm welcome for some and a militarised wall for others – lays bare the selective sympathy shaping US politics right now.
28 / 02 / 25| The Women Who Fought for Civil Rights With the passing of time, I find myself increasingly captivated by history—both conventional narratives and revisionist perspectives. After all, how are we supposed to live in the present and plan for the future if we don’t understand the past? In the UK, October is the official month we celebrate Black History Month, but did you know that in the United States, Black History Month is celebrated in February? So far this month, I’ve been reading up on the Civil Rights Movement , Jim Crow , and much more, as well as falling deep into YouTube docuseries that highlight different perspectives on the struggles and triumphs of that period. North American history is vast, spanning from the Declaration of Independence to the U.S. Civil War , through the Great Depression , and finally to the focus of this blog post—the momentous Civil Rights Movement. Are you interested in learning about the critical milestones of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States? The principal activists, the significant legislation enacted, and the numerous protests that took place? If so, grab a coffee or tea, get comfortable, and join me on a journey through DEI history …
Timeline: Rights Struggles and "Bloody Sunday”
Timeline: MLK Jr's Personal Attacks and Achievements
