“Today is a day, to celebrate freedom. Freedom, the ideal used by our founding fathers as the backdrop for the greatest experiment ever undertaken – America. Freedom, the same ideal that was denied to our black brothers and sisters for far too long in this Country. An atrocity that is our nation’s original sin.

“This Juneteenth, take the opportunity to learn more about this day and what it means in our Nation’s history. Now more than ever, we must remember the true ideals that our nation was founded on and work to apply them to all of us. No exceptions or excuses.

“Freedom in this Country, and County, includes the right to peacefully assemble to make known your beliefs. And we have seen these peaceful demonstrations in the name of George Floyd – and in the spirit of positive change – throughout Westchester in these last few, challenging weeks.

“Let us honor this Juneteenth by continuing our demands for peaceful change, for that is the true hallmark of any fair and just society.”