06/19/2026
Juneteenth: Freedom Is Never Finished
By Rev. Sharon Renae
Juneteenth reminds us that freedom is more than a date in history. It is a living practice.
On June 19, 1865—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed—the last enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free. The proclamation had already declared their freedom, but without the communication, the enforcement, and the collective will to uphold it, many continued to live in bo***ge.
That story still speaks to us today.
Freedom is not something we achieve once and keep forever. Every generation is called to protect it, expand it, and pass it on with greater wisdom than they inherited.
As students of Truth, we know that freedom begins within. Jesus spoke often of the Kingdom of God—not as a political system, but as a state of consciousness where love replaces fear, truth overcomes illusion, and every person recognizes the Divine within themselves and one another.
Yet spiritual freedom does not ask us to ignore what is happening in the world around us.
One of the gifts of spiritual maturity is discernment—the willingness to see clearly without becoming consumed by fear or hatred.
Today many people, regardless of political party, are expressing concern about the health of our democracy. We see increasing polarization, diminishing trust in institutions, attacks on journalism, growing political hostility, and debates over whose stories deserve to be told. Healthy democracies depend upon informed citizens, respectful disagreement, the peaceful transfer of power, an independent judiciary, freedom of the press, and equal protection under the law. When any of those foundations begin to weaken, they deserve our thoughtful attention rather than our denial.
The opening of the Obama Presidential Center on Juneteenth offered a timely reminder of these ideals. Rather than focusing solely on one presidency, both Barack and Michelle Obama spoke about the ongoing work of citizenship.
One thought especially stayed with me.
President Obama reminded us that the most powerful word in our democracy is not "I." It is "We." He reflected that the words "We the People," "We Shall Overcome," and "Yes We Can" all point toward the same truth—that democracy belongs to all of us, not to one leader, one party, or one generation.
That message echoes the heart of Unity teachings.
We are expressions of one Divine Life. We may disagree on policies, candidates, and solutions, but we are invited to remember that we belong to one another. The work of democracy, like the work of spiritual awakening, asks us to participate rather than withdraw. It calls us to listen deeply, think critically, act compassionately, and refuse to surrender either truth or love.
Juneteenth reminds us that history bends toward freedom only when ordinary people are willing to become extraordinary citizens.
As people of Spirit, may we continue to cultivate both inner freedom and outer responsibility.
May we seek truth without fear.
May we practice love without condition.
May we protect the dignity of every human being.
And may we remember that the Kingdom of God is revealed every time we choose courage over complacency, compassion over division, and "we" over "me."
That is the ongoing work of freedom.
Happy Juneteenth.
