Juneteenth

I suppose I am revealing my ignorance about this "holiday" that showed up out of nowhere in recent years. It's a big enough deal that my client's office is closed today. Not that it matters to me since I'm off on Fridays anyway. Even my few black friends have no idea what the fuss is about.

I'm not deliberately trying to be insensitive about other cultures. We all have our own lived experience, and I have always felt "between two worlds" when it comes to my heritage. My mother was born in Texas, and her parents came from Mexico. My father was born in Virginia, and his heritage would be what my mom called "hillbillies." So what does that make me? My standard joke has always been: "If you're going to give me money, I'm Hispanic. If you're going to deport me, I'm white." 

So where does that leave us in 2026 regarding culture and heritage? Have we reached MLK's dream that men (and women) would be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin? I'm sure we have more work to do, but we've come a long way from when I was a kid. So I guess I'll close by wishing everyone a happy Juneteenth.