“We’re not informed about Juneteenth in most education systems, especially if you’re a majority,” says Miles Dotson, co-Founder of HellaCreative and a Managing Partner at Devland to Bob Cut Mag. “But with the killing more unarmed black men and women, there’s becoming a paradigm shift in the country about systemic racism and prejudices. That’s one of the reasons why we’re finally seeing this holiday break into the zeitgeist.”
A post shared by hella creative (@wearehellacreative) on Jun 19, 2020 at 9:16am PDT
“Historically, the use of labor black bodies as means of production, creating anything and from textiles to agricultural products and everything in between,” adds Miles. “There was a stripping of black intellect during slavery, very skilled black men and women were robbed of using their gifts by slavery.”
Miles, an Oaklandian himself, continues on this line of thought, suggesting we’re in a “paradigm shift and moment of transition” in our society; a reckoning with majority privilege and blind authority — including how both have gutted the world of improvement. Thankfully, it looks like we’re in power over’s last stance… or, at the very least, on the brim of its downfall.
The HellaCrative collective, a cohort of Black Bay Area creatives — the same group that launched hellajuneteenth.com which, in the past week alone, has stimulated conversations between thousands of employees at over fifty companies — are making sure it does, indeed, bow.
Throughout today and tomorrow, they plan to give the holiday a new touch in the digital era. Daily published themes incorporate everything from traditional ceremonies, helpful aids that’ll jumpstart present and future “#takeoffjuneteenth” demands, and even a history lesson about the holiday itself. Also, they’re providing templates and pluggable graphics to use for your future “OOO messages” and letter templates, all of which can be used (free of charge) to both advocate for Juneteenth’s attention and observance — today and going forward.
A post shared by hella creative (@wearehellacreative) on Jun 18, 2020 at 2:30pm PDT
“The reclaiming of Juneteenth catches the zeitgeist of a national movement and this moment in time, each demanding initiatives that create safety, pride, change, and equity for the Black community,” wanes Dotson in our conversion. “By bringing awareness to the rich history of Juneteenth, we can all work toward formally recognizing and celebrating this national holiday and further opportunities to help support Black-owned businesses.”
// For more on information on HellaCrative and the resource they proved, visit hellajuneteenth.com/about-hella-creative; you can find followers on Twitter and Instagram on their respective linked accounts. Feature photo courtesy of Steven Van.
