MADISON, Wis. — In recognition of Juneteenth, WisDems Chair Devin Remiker and 2nd Vice-Chair Elder Joshua Taylor released the following statement:
“While we have looked to Juneteenth as a way to reflect on our nation’s greatest sin and the progress we have made since then, this year is about reaffirming our commitment to the basic American freedom that every citizen, regardless of skin color, creed, or religion, has a right to vote without discrimination. Juneteenth is not only a celebration of emancipation, but it is also a reminder that freedom delayed is freedom denied, and that the promise of America has always required active protection, renewal, and vigilance. The legacy of Juneteenth calls us to remember that the end of slavery was not the end of inequality, and that the struggle for full civic participation continued through Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement, and still persists today in conversations about access, fairness, and representation.
“The Trump administration and the GOP’s bought-and-paid-for Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act and gave Republicans permission to racially discriminate and strip Black voters of their political power.
“Trump and his allies know their MAGA base is fracturing, and their desperate hope of clinging to power is only possible by taking away the voting power Black and Brown communities have. WisDems will never stop fighting for our basic freedom to vote, and with the gutting of the VRA and the Trump administration deliberately attacking communities of color, the importance of the November elections could not be clearer. Juneteenth reminds us that freedom is not symbolic; it must be protected in practice. That includes defending access to the ballot box, ensuring fair representation, and safeguarding every citizen’s voice from suppression or intimidation. The same spirit that carried enslaved people toward liberation in 1865 must continue to guide us toward a more just and equitable democracy today.
“When we win a Democratic Trifecta and retain the Attorney General’s office, we will ensure that every Wisconsinite, regardless of what Trump and DC Republicans do in Washington, has the right to vote freely and fairly.”
