By: O.L./Sway Buckley
There's so much to be said about the 4th of July.
Growing up, the 4th of July was always a time of celebration for us; from family reunions to fireworks, it was all smiles.
It wasn't until later in life that I learned the dichotomy between Independence Day and slavery in America. From reading Fredrick Douglas' famous letter concerning the holiday:
"The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice; I must mourn".
As a person of color, learning the perspectives of our ancestors concerning Independence Day is sobering. It should be considered as truth and a part of our history.
The other side of the coin is that today, although we're not a 'perfect' nation, undeniable blessings come with being an American citizen.
When visiting other countries that face true oppression and lack freedom of speech, religion, and so many other liberties, we take for granted here; we would be ignorant to be ungrateful for what we have afforded us (today).
Just ask the immigrants who risk their lives to come here for a better future.
Many will want us to 'pick a side,' either Juneteenth or 4th of July as if it can only be one cause of celebration. We choose to celebrate both because they are both worthy of celebration for their own unique reasons.
If you've been torn between Juneteenth and Independence Day, celebrating one is not discarding loyalty to the other. Even with all of the flaws, we can do both.
Happy 4th!
Here's to living purposefully, powerfully, and profitably in sync,
O.L. & Sway
O.L. is a former banker turned real estate consultant and entrepreneur. Sway is a former CEO of a staffing firm she started on her dorm room floor to pay for college. Together they co-own Marriedpreneur Life Consultancy, equipping faith-based married entrepreneur couples with high-level systems to scale (without strain). They're the creators of the Marriedpreneur Operating Systems and the co-hosts of The Marriedprenuer Life Podcast, which was praised as one of Wedding Wire's top relationship podcasts. Learn more at MarriedpreneurLife.com.