With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
LA City Council Will Consider Expanding Employees Included In Juneteenth Holiday
Jamaea Martin and Shane Smith said they'd always felt honored to celebrate Juneteenth because it's such an important holiday for the Black community, and they are happy that other communities are finally recognizing Juneteenth and the oppression Black people face.
(
Chava Sanchez
/
LAist
)
Topline:
The Los Angeles City Council will today consider making Juneteenth — the day that marks the end of slavery — an official city holiday for non-represented city employees and employees represented by other labor organizations.
More info: The holiday honors the events of June 19, 1865, which marks the day that Union troops in Texas informed enslaved people that the Civil War had ended and that Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 would be enforced. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation that made Juneteenth a federal holiday.
The backstory: Last year, the council made Juneteenth a paid holiday for city employees, but that only applied for employees represented by the Coalition of City Unions.
Corrected June 12, 2023 at 11:28 AM PDT
This story was updated to clarify what took place on the original June 19th date.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
