Continuing the Historic Fight for Justice This Juneteenth and A Letter From Our Founder

Do you feel like voting doesn't matter?

Are you registered to vote?

If you are registered to vote, do you plan on voting in both local and presidential elections?

If you are not registered to vote, will you reconsider registering?

These are the four questions that we asked our followers, in which 3,158 of you answered. You voiced your concerns and qualms with the political system we live in and the government which watches over us, and for good reason. We have spent countless years fighting for our rights, to be seen and treated as equal, and this Juneteenth we are remembering that our fight is not over. We are committing $4,000 to organizations that fight for the rights and representation of Black individuals, splitting the amount between the Know Your Rights Camp and the African American Policy Forum. For a brief history of Juneteenth, an open letter from our founder Ceata Lash, and how you can be part of changing this country to be equal for all, continue to read below.

Juneteenth marks when Union general Gordan Granger delivered federal orders to Galveston, Texas on June 19th, 1865, declaring the last remaining slaves to be freed two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Also known as Freedom Day, the celebration of this event and its telling throughout history has waxed and waned due to efforts to stop its remembrance and remove it from history books. Still, it has seen a massive resurgence as people continue to fight for their civil rights in the modern-day. Heralded by many as "America's Second Independence Day," Juneteenth is one of many civil rights-related events being reclaimed and celebrated across the nation.

A Letter From Our Founder

The PuffCuff stands in solidarity with the families of the victims of police brutality and supports the countless people across the globe who are championing the end of inequality towards Black people. This Juneteenth, we are reminded our fight for civil rights is on-going, as we stand up against police brutality and the injustices against Black people. I am a Black business owner — serving not only the Black community. It is my responsibility to use the platform I have to make changes in any way I can, by hiring and empowering other Black individuals or using it to uplift and amplify the voices of others. Social media has evolved into one of the most excellent tools of empowerment. It allows us to teach, learn, tell our stories, and create invaluable connections with one another during both good and bad times. I'm incredibly grateful to be in a position where I can hire and support a diverse staff who work both behind the scenes and in front of the camera for the PuffCuff. 

This month, we conducted a poll in which we pledged $1 per person who voted and 3,158 of you voted. We want to thank everyone involved, and we have rounded up our total amount donated to $4,000, which will be split to benefit the Know Your Rights Camp and the African American Policy Forum. You can continue to scroll to learn more about these two organizations. We hope to continue to inspire this generation who so firmly stands up for what is right in the face of adversity, fighting for equality in a system that has been unequal and oppressive for far too long. 

This November marks the presidential elections, and we deeply encourage you to continue using the momentum and energy behind this movement to cast your vote to restructure our system as we continue to make changes in this country boldly and unapologetically.

Learn more about how you can get involved and what elections are happening near you at Ballotpedia.Org, and learn how you can register to vote to make your voice heard by visiting Vote.Org.

Stay safe, be blessed, and be a blessing.

- Ceata Lash

African American Policy Forum 

Founded in 1996, the African American Policy Forum connects academics, activists, and policy-makers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequalities. They work to promote the framework and strategies that address a vision of racial justice that embraces the intersections of race, gender, class, and the array of barriers that disempower those who are marginalized in society. Learn more about this organization at https://aapf.org/

Know Your Rights Camp 

Founded by Colin Kaepernick, the Know Your Rights Camp’s mission is to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization, and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders. You can learn more about the Know Your Rights Camp at https://www.knowyourrightscamp.com/