This month of June is a time of celebration, reflection, and responsibility. It holds deep significance not only because it is the threshold of summer, but also a season that challenges us to remember our roots and recommit to our legacy.

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At the heart of this month lies Juneteenth, in commemoration of June 19, 1865. This date marks when Black Americans in Galveston Texas finally learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed over two years earlier, signifying freedom for the last of the still-enslaved people in the United States. Juneteenth is more than a date; it is a symbol of resilience, liberation, and the ongoing fight for justice.

For us in DVABPsi, Juneteenth is personal. It reminds us why we exist a community and an institution rooted in the empowerment of Black excellence. Our mission has always been tied to education, advocacy, and the upliftment of our communities. As we celebrate Juneteenth, let us also reflect on how far we’ve come and still how far we still must go to decolonize our mind, body and spirit. This month, I challenge each of us to:

• Honor the sacrifices of our ancestors through service and action.

• Educate others about the significance of Juneteenth and the history of our greatness often left untaught.

• Celebrate Black culture in all its fullness—our art, our voices, our joy, and our unity.

• Commit to being the change-makers that the founders of the Association of Black Psychologists imagined.

We will be hosting several events this month focused on Juneteenth awareness and community engagement. I encourage you all to participate, not as an obligation, but as a continuation of the work that began generations ago.

In strength, unity, and purpose,

Ingrid K Tulloch, Ph.D.