Slideshow image

June 19, 2021

SACRAMENTO — Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the NHCLC, issues the following statement in celebration of Juneteenth:
“After a year marked by isolation, violence, and division, I pray Juneteenth comes as a moment of refreshment and joy for the Black community and all Americans committed to justice and human decency. Executive recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday has been a long time coming.

“For almost three years following President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, Black people in this country were not truly free from the threat of slavery. Now, 156 years later, this pivotal moment is nationally recognized. My hope and prayer is that people all across the United States will see Juneteenth as an opportunity to intentionally honor the image of God in every single person.

“Scripture tells us ‘where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom’ (2 Corinthians 3:17). On this Juneteenth, we at the NHCLC join thousands across the nation in celebrating the God-given freedoms America officially recognized for Black slaves after their long and tireless struggle and ask the Lord to fill each of us with his Holy Spirit. 

“I pray that God continues to bless this wonderful country and her people, that we remain committed to pursuing his agenda of righteousness and justice, truth and love, and that all people would be set free in Jesus’ name.”
Click HERE to view the original statement.