Can you believe it is June already? April showers brought May flowers, now summer is upon us. There is so much to look forward to and celebrate with PRIDE🏳️🌈 in June! Time is moving without remorse, so I hope that we are all starting off this month with a fresh start and incorporating rest into our busy schedules as we officially start the 2023 Hurricane season. It is important that we charge our batteries in anticipation for all of the unknown this season brings Emergency Managers.
Looking after ourselves should and will always be a priority. However, this is often associated with out-of-work activities like spa days, or yoga and meditation or long hot baths after long cold walks. All these activities are very valuable and important, but it’s also essential to practice self-compassion in the workplace. If we don’t look after ourselves at work too, we’ll end up burning out, being resentful and even being less efficient and enthusiastic. As respectful and caring colleagues, we actively look out for our co-workers and come up with meaningful ways to support to them and have true compassion for our team. But do you really show yourself the same respect and care at work?
I implore you all to use compassion in your daily engagements and consider what self compassion looks like for you during this month. This will contribute to getting your summer started off right! 🌴🏖️
Janell Pruitt | ORR Core Values Volunteer Group Coordinator| Field Operations Directorate
The FEMA Core Values are the foundation of who we are, and we must be devoted to demonstrating these principles in everything we do. It is a priority to spotlight employees who exemplify and embody our core values through the ORR Core Values Coin Awards program. Read on for more information about how to nominate your peers.
Eligibility
All ORR employees at Headquarters, in Regional Offices, and in the field are eligible.
All nominations must be submitted by 5:00 pm EST on the 15th of every month.
Teams may be nominated when all members contributed equally to displaying a core value.
Name the file using this file naming convention: Core Values Category, nominee’s last name or team name; office, region, or disaster number (e.g., Compassion-Smith-Region5.pdf).
Award winners will be announced monthly in the ORR Core Values Chronicle. If you don’t already receive the ORR Core Values Chronicle, you may sign up here. Should you have any questions, please email FEMA-ORR-CoreValues-Team@fema.dhs.gov.
June Recipients
It is with great pleasure that we announce the recipients of the ORR Core Values Coin Awards for June 2023! ORR thanks you for your continuous commitment to FEMA’s core values and contributing to making FEMA a safe, trusting, and positive work environment.
Compassion:
Mary Krandis: Mary has been with FEMA for approximately 10 years. She is full of skills and knowledge. Her major strength is compassion. She worked with survivors who lost their entire homes due to the Arkansas Tornado. She helped with registration and listened to the survivors stories. She did that with great compassion and each survivor became a priority. She made sure she gave them the best quality information and helped them to get to their next stage of recovery. She did this with each survivor because this is the person she is.
Respect:
DR-4611-LA Chiefs of Staff Marion Paxton, Rona Marshall, and Pamela Lheureux: In DR-4611-LA, individually and in unison, Chiefs of Staff Marion Paxton, Rona Marshall, and Pamela Lheureux have demonstrated FEMA’s Core Values: Integrity, Compassion, and Fairness with great excellence, with Respect being the corner stone.
In DR-4611-LA, Marion Paxton displayed the four FEMA Core Values with Respect. More particularly, she encourages respect, inclusion, and equity resulting in the JFO becoming a customer centric work environment. She continually displayed respect for the staff displaying excellent transparency during the high-pressure and fast-paced situations at the JFO and in field Operations. Compassionately, Marion listened with a depth of understanding and responded quickly to the needs of the staff. She carefully synthesized information in an actionable way and continuously responded with fair and equitable decisions and strategic planning at the Joint Field Office in Baton Rouge, LA.
Rona Marshall displayed the FEMA Core Value of Respect by promoting earnest coordination across all programs at the JFO in DR-4611-LA. She respectfully reminded staff that the power to make our FEMA programs easier to navigate by survivors was a cooperative goal of each program area. Displaying Integrity, Rona encouraged the staff to adapt swiftly, pivot quickly, and honestly embrace new ways to meet daily mission challenges together. Compassionately, Rona reinforced the belief that working together, staff could continually build joint capabilities to achieve a successful outcome-based recovery mission fairly.
Pamela Lheureux's heart embodies all the characteristics the Core Value of Respect daily. Her pledge to fairness, integrity, and respect has continually informed her decisions as a member of the Core Values committee at the JFO in DR-4611-LA. She displays a super abundance of joy while reviewing nominations that recognize the daily accomplishments of the staff. She respectfully and diligently works to ensure that all nominees receive thorough consideration for these awards. Her commitment to instilling integrity in the review process amplifies the value and pride each recipient experiences when their names are announced. There is no greater love or compassion that Pamela could demonstrate that inspires generations to come by volunteering for the FEMA Core Values committee.
Core Values Field Awards
The Core Values Field Awards is an initiative that helps spotlight employees in field offices that exemplify FEMA's Core Values of Compassion, Fairness, Integrity, and Respect as defined by FEMA Publication 1 (Pub 1). This program is a great way to show appreciation to field staff for personifying our core values!
Follow this link for more information on how to implement Core Values Field Awards in your field office: Core Values Awards.
Field Award Recipients:
David M "Jonesy" Jones Jr: Jonesy was nominated for all four core values by multiple peers. He displays compassion ion the way he manages people that are working under his supervision. He deals with people on a level that takes in account the person. Jonesy gives everyone the opportunity to be successful, allowing people to take classes and encouraging them to be successful. He is an easy-going guy, and he insists that we all follow FEMA's core values, never willing to cut corners. Jonesy treats everyone with dignity and respect. Even when someone might be disrespectful, he maintains his cool and treats them with respect. He represents the very best of FEMA and our core values.
Compassion at Work – Definition, How to Show it and Benefits
Individuals may find certain challenges or demands in their work environment overwhelming. Compassion in the workplace can improve morale and help employees feel recognized and valued. Understanding what compassion is and the role it plays in the workplace can help you to demonstrate it and contribute towards a healthy work environment.
In this article, it explains what compassion at work means, provides a list of eight ways to show it and describes the importance and benefits of building a culture of compassion in the workplace.
ICYMI Region 8 Promotes Inclusive Emergency Management Planning
Early in May, FEMA Region 8 Disability Integration Specialist Mike Houston delivered a keynote speech and served as a panelist at the American Association of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry's One Voice conference. The conference theme was, “Navigating uncertainty: How to prepare, pivot and pilot inclusive health during unknown times.”
In his speech, Houston promoted adopting a “plan with, not for” approach to achieving inclusive emergency management planning. He shared how using that approach in his FEMA role helps achieve agency goals focused on equity and inclusion for the whole community, including community members with disabilities or access and functional needs.
The discussion provided a space for attendees to think about their focus on inclusivity, particularly surrounding individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The opportunity served to amplify preparedness focused strategies to the association’s international membership and help FEMA build relationships with a previously untapped stakeholder group.
For more information on the American Association of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry and the One Voice conference, visit https://aadmdconference.com.
FEMA Employee Awarded Citizen Lifesaving Award by Local Florida Fire Department
On Jan. 18, a group of colleagues went out to dinner after a long day at the Joint Field Office in Lake Mary, Florida. They had no way of knowing what would happen that night.
While dining, Andrew Snyder – the Planning Support Unit Lead deployed to DR4673-FL – noticed his coworker choking and unable to breathe. Snyder jumped into action and performed the Heimlich Maneuver on him, saving his life.
“Because of my previous training I was able to act immediately, without hesitation,” Snyder said. “I’m just thankful I was there.”
Because of his heroic effort, Fire Chief Michael Johansmeyer and Fire Marshal Lily Sexton of the Lake Mary Fire Department presented Snyder with their Citizen Lifesaving Award.
Recently, other FEMA staff in the area performed life-saving techniques that were not successful.
FEMA Safety Officer Mitchell Waite, deployed to DR4673-FL, said, “CPR and the other techniques may not succeed 100 percent of the time, but at least they give the person a fighting chance.”
Waite said FEMA works with outside organizations to provide CPR classes at the disaster site. To date, 126 employees have been trained in CPR/Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs)/Heimlich Maneuver.
DR4673-FL Federal Coordinating Officer Brett Howard expressed gratitude for the quick actions of his staff.
“I am very proud of our staff. They are all heroes because they continue to show up for survivors on their worst days,” said Howard. “These particular men and women, when faced with a life-or-death situation, answered the call. This was their heroic moment, and they acted. To act, with no guarantee of success and putting others above themselves, makes them true heroes.”
DHS Employees Raise More than $5.3 Million, Pledged 7,354 Hours of Volunteer Service During 2022 CFC Season
USCIS Director and CFC Vice Chair for the National Capital Region Ur Jaddou and DHS Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for Management Randolph D. “Tex" Alles helped honor and celebrate the achievements of employees at the 2022 Combined Federal Campaign Awards Ceremony held at DHS headquarters St. Elizabeths Campus. Thanks to the CFC workers' unwavering commitment to excellence, DHS raised more than $5.3 million nationwide, and pledged 7,354 hours of volunteer service.
Hosted by Campaign Manager Alexander Muschek, Deputy Campaign Manager Gary Evans, and Loaned Executive Richard Passow, the ceremony was an opportunity to recognize the hard work of DHS employees across the nation who raised money, shared key messages, hosted events, and provided technical support to the 2022 campaign.
Director Jaddou thanked and recognized the campaign's vice chairs, campaign managers, volunteer coordinators and key workers, noting their role as “individuals who every year make our CFC season possible and generate employee interest in giving. Their efforts are so important and help us make DHS shine."
Thank you to all of the CFC workers, and to every who contributed their time and/or money to the 2022 CFC campaign.
To see a complete list of CFC awards and winners visit DHS Connect HERE.
FEMA Seeks Public Feedback on Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning Considerations for Emergency Managers
FEMA and the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships are updating “Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Planning Considerations for Emergency Managers.” Originally published in June 2018, this document outlines best practices for engaging faith-based and community organizations before, during, and after disasters to help jurisdictions improve their resilience and emergency management capabilities. The update to the guide will include lessons learned from real-world events, updates to FEMA programs, additional resources and recommendations from the public and key stakeholders.
A line-numbered version of the current document is provided to help identify specific areas or topics for potential update. The feedback form can be used to capture any recommendations. Email feedback or any questions to NPD-Planning@fema.dhs.gov. The feedback period will conclude at close of business on June 23, 2023.
Webinar Sessions
FEMA is hosting several 60-minute webinar sessions to provide an overview of the existing document and facilitate a discussion with stakeholders to gather feedback on additional ways to improve the guide. FEMA seeks input, especially real-world experiences, that can be incorporated into the guide. Advance registration is required.
New Virtual Reality Experience Tests Users’ Fire Safety Skills
In partnership with Meta, FEMA’s Ready Campaign, the Ad Council and the U.S. Fire Administration co-launched a new virtual reality experience promoting fire safety awareness.
In “The Escape Plan,” users must work through various obstacles to make a timely escape from an apartment building fire. The free virtual reality experience lets users practice their fire escape skills on their own time and in a safe, controlled environment and can be used with virtual reality equipment. At the end of the experience, users can create their own fire escape plan and visit Ready.gov and Listo.gov in Spanish language to further prepare for home fires and other hazards.
While virtual reality equipment is recommended, but not required, a desktop version of “The Escape Plan” allows users to participate in the experience and practice fire safety anywhere there is internet connectivity.
“From our user-friendly FEMA App that provides real-time weather alerts and helps people prepare for common hazards, to the use of geospatial tools to identify the hardest hit communities following a disaster, FEMA continues to use every tool at our disposal to help people before, during and after disaster,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “We are excited to partner with Meta and the Ad Council on this new virtual reality tool and we are eager to further leverage technology to protect people and save lives.”
“You don’t have much time to act in the event of a fire,” said Michelle Hillman, Ad Council Chief Campaign Development Officer. “Being able to practice a fire safety and evacuation plan before the emergency arises will reduce the chance of panic and ultimately save lives.”
“At Meta we are building for the next generation of the internet, which is why our partnership with FEMA and the Ad Council to develop immersive experiences in Virtual and Augmented Reality like the Escape Plan is so important,” said Caitlin Ryan, VP Creative Shop EMEA – Meta. “In VR, mistakes can be made without real-world consequences, ensuring individuals can safely learn and are better prepared, ready to act quickly in a real emergency. The VR version of this product creates the sensation of being present in a virtual three-dimensional environment, allowing you to experience and learn what you need to do to escape a home fire. While the Escape Plan is a virtual experience, the impact will be real.”
Virtual reality is emerging as an effective way to augment professional and personal emergency training and can have advantages over large-scale training programs that take extensive time and resources. Experiences can be developed to simulate an environment, whether the setting be in an office, emergency room or in your own home, rather than placing the trainee in the potential path of harm.
“Proven technology like automatic fire sprinklers, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors save the lives of civilians every day, and the U.S. Fire Administration has long advocated for the use of immersive learning tools to protect our nation’s fire fighters and increase public safety education,” said U.S. Administrator Moore-Merrell. “It is our hope that ‘The Escape Plan’ and other technological advancements will protect even more people and help us to further address America’s persistent fire problem.”
“The Escape Plan” joins a suite of digital tools leveraged by FEMA to help people before, during and after disasters. Last year, the Ready Campaign launched an easy-to-use digital form to help individuals and families create an emergency plan on their phone or laptop. The form can be saved onto any device and emailed to other members of their family and is available in both English and Spanish languages. And just last year, FEMA updated its mobile app to give users increased personalization options and help them take charge of disasters. The new app is more accessible, with increased functionality and innovative features to help people prepare for, protect against and recover from disasters.
To create your family’s emergency plan, or to learn more about disaster preparedness and home fire escape plans, visit Ready.gov or Listo.gov.
The FEMA Peer Support program is an agency-wide, voluntary initiative to train FEMA employees on how to assist and support to their colleagues in times of personal need. The program offers employees an opportunity to speak with trusted peers trained to provide support and does not replace professional employee assistance program (EAP) services or psychological treatment. Rather, it can be a first step toward getting professional help, if needed, or a sympathetic ear or shoulder to lean on.
By leveraging a combination of licensed mental health professionals and non-licensed peer support volunteers, this program will maximize efficiency of resources by allocating “just in time” support where and when it is needed most. The program is meant to provide support before, during and after a disaster mobilization.
Learn more on how to become a Peer Support Volunteer here!
Working Toward an Equitable Future: How Federal Agencies are Advancing the Government
Equity means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. (Executive Order 13985)
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order (EO) 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, directing Federal agencies to advance equity for all Americans through an unprecedented transformation of decision-making processes, policy change, and bold actions commensurate with the nation’s greatest challenges.
Throughout 2021, under the guidance of the Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Federal agencies assessed how their programs and policies perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunity; participated in an ongoing government-wide Equity Learning Community; exercised innovative approaches to stakeholder engagement; and developed evidence-based solutions to advance equity.
Equity Action Plans were submitted by over 90 Federal agencies, including all Cabinet and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Act Agencies, as well as more than 50 independent agencies that voluntarily participated, in recognition of the value and urgency of applying an equity lens to improve agency performance and service delivery.
Equity Action Plans were submitted by over 90 Federal agencies, including all Cabinet and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Act Agencies, as well as more than 50 independent agencies that voluntarily participated, in recognition of the value and urgency of applying an equity lens to improve agency performance and service delivery.
The Equity Action Plans represent specific agency commitments to redress inequities and to promote equitable outcomes in communities.
Methods and Leading Practices for Advancing Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through Government
In accordance with the Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the FederalGovernment, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in partnership with the heads of agencies, to identify effective methods for assessing whether agency policies and actions (e.g., programs, services, processes, and operations) equitably serve all eligible individuals and communities, particularly those that are currently and historically underserved. As a part of this effort, OMB issued a Request for Information (RFI) to seek input, information, and recommendations from a broad array of stakeholders in the public, private, advocacy, not-for-profit, and philanthropic sectors, including State, local, Tribal, and territorial areas, on available methods, approaches, and tools that could assist in this effort.
OMB sought input in the following five areas:
Equity Assessments and Strategies. Approaches and methods for holistic and program- or policy-specific assessments of equity for public sector entities, including but not limited to the development of public policy strategies that advance equity and the use of data to inform equitable public policy strategies.
Barrier and Burden Reduction. Approaches and methods for assessing and remedying barriers, burden, and inequities in public service delivery and access.
Procurement and Contracting. Approaches and methods for assessing equity in agency procurement and contracting processes.
Financial Assistance. Approaches and methods for assessing equity in the administration of agency grant programs and other forms of financial assistance.
Stakeholder and Community Engagement. Approaches and methods for accessible and meaningful agency engagement with underserved communities.
June is National Safety Month – a month to raise and strengthen FEMA workforce awareness about safety hazards and how to help reduce workplace injuries. Supporting employee safety and health is critical to our efforts to create a strong and resilient workforce. FEMA will deliver webinars for employees every Thursday this month:
Alternative Dispute Resolution Division Hosts Lunch & Learn Café Series
The FEMA Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Division within the Office of Chief Counsel will host a Lunch and Learn Café Series. The series will feature three interactive webinars.
This series is intended to help FEMA employees learn skills and tools to help build individual and team readiness and resiliency as well as address some of the obstacles that might impede readiness and resilience. A ready workforce is imperative to fulfilling FEMA’s mission of helping people before, during and after disasters.
Lunch and Learn Café Series #1, June 14, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET
Tools for building personal resilience: Readiness begins with ME
As emergency managers, how do we take care of ourselves to support survivors and communities and fulfill the FEMA Mission? When we are on an airplane we are told in an emergency, “put on your oxygen mask FIRST”, meaning you must take care of yourself to support others. When compassion fatigue is present it impedes our ability to fulfil the mission and leads to conflict, burnout, lost days at work and may impact retention. A ready workforce starts with our own resilience. Come learn how to build resilience through self-care, mindfulness, self-regulation and understanding the role neuroscience plays.
To participate: join via FEMA Zoom using passcode 06142023.
As a leader, you deal with many challenges each day and, occasionally, you may feel defeated and question your abilities. Reach out to your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for help unlocking your confidence when you need it most.
What is self-assurance?
Essentially, self-assurance is the confidence you have in yourself and your abilities. A self-assured manager has confidence in their judgment and believes they are able to do their job, lead others, and succeed at both.
Why confidence is important as a manager?
The way you come across to your employees matters, and confidence plays a vital role in how your employees view you. They take cues from your attitude and behavior that tell them whether they can rely on you to lead them forward, trust you to make smart decisions, and count on to you to provide a positive, collaborative work environment. Ultimately, your employees’ confidence in your ability to do these things is directly tied to the degree of confidence you have in yourself.
Tips for finding inner confidence:
We often think of confidence as something that you’re either born with or not. In reality, a good part of it is the product of your thoughts and behaviors. Being confident is a decision and has less to do with whether you have the ability to accomplish something and more to do with whether you believe in your ability to accomplish it.
Be sure to attend this month’s live webinar:
You’re Not a Fraud: Overcome Imposter Syndrome, Lead Authentically, and Boost Psychological Health
Negative thinking is a natural pitfall of our brain. As leaders, we are often put in positions that might make us uncomfortable, causing us to doubt ourselves and our abilities. In this webinar, let’s tilt our mind toward positivity and what’s within our control. We know you’re not a fraud and want you to see that you’re not one too. We’ll help you take off the mask, reveal your true self, and get on a path to lead with confidence.
*PLEASE NOTE: While registration is required to attend, it does not guarantee entry. We recommend joining early, as space is limited and access is granted on a first arrived, first admitted basis, regardless of how far in advance you register.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a voluntary and confidential employee benefit available to eligible federal employees at no cost.
Join us for the FEMA Town Hall
FEMA Workforce Townhall on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, from 3-4 p.m. ET.
Please join us for the next FEMA Townhall where FEMA leaders will be reporting live to provide the workforce with the latest updates happening around the Agency. Administrator Deanne Criswell, Deputy Administrator Hooks, and Chief of Staff Coen are looking forward to seeing you all virtually and in-person at locations across the country. The leadership team will address the workforce on key accomplishments and highlight some continued initiatives as we head into hurricane season.
Locations and featured speakers include:
FEMA Facility in Winchester, Va. – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
Region 5 Regional Office – FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks.
Florida Joint Field Office – FEMA Chief of Staff Michael A. Coen, Jr.
Online via Zoom (Zoom link to be added)
Calendar invites with the link to join virtually will be updated the day of the event.
Pride Month is an entire month dedicated to the uplifting of LGBTQ voices, celebration of LGBTQ culture and the support of LGBTQ rights. Throughout the month of June, nationwide, there have traditionally been parades, protests, drag performances, live theater and memorials and celebrations of life for members of the community who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS. It is part political activism, part celebration of all the LGBTQ community has achieved over the years. The roots of the gay rights movement go back to the early 1900s, when a handful of individuals in North America and Europe created gay and lesbian organizations such as the the Society for Human Rights, founded by Henry Gerber in Chicago in the 1920s.
Despite some progress in the postwar era, basic civil rights were largely denied to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people -- until 1969 when a series of riots in New York City took place. In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, police raided a popular gay bar in N.Y.C.'s West Village, The Stonewall Inn. This was commonplace for the time, but on this particular evening, the patrons of the bar fought back, starting the Stonewall Riots, which went on for days. Thus, Pride is celebrated in June to coincide with the catalyst of the Gay Liberation Movement that was the Stonewall Uprising.
In June 2000, President Bill Clinton officially designated June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, in recognition of the Stonewall Riots and gay activism throughout the years. A more inclusive name was chosen in 2009 by President Barack Obama: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month. This June is the 53rd anniversary of the first Pride parade, which happened in 1970, one year after the uprising.
During Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we celebrate the achievements and dreams of the millions of people of Caribbean origin now living in the United States while honoring the shared history of joy and perseverance that has united and enriched life across our region for centuries. There is no single Caribbean American identity. The mix of cultures, languages, and religions alive across the United States and the islands reflects the diversity of spirit that defines the American story.
The month was founded by Dr. Claire Nelson and was celebrated across the nation for the first time by the Institute of Caribbean Studies in 2000. However, the move to officially declare June as National Caribbean American Month started in 2004 when a legislative bill was passed by Congresswoman Barbara Lee. The resolution was made official in 2006 when President George W. Bush signed the proclamation, naming June as National Caribbean American Month.
It’s important to make an emergency plan for your home to help keep members of your household out of harm’s way. It’s equally important to include your pets in your plans.
National Trails Day is an annual event hosted by the American Hiking Society that encourages support of our nation’s public trails. Trails are an important part of urban and rural communities and have a positive impact on our mental and physical health. National Trails Day “is a day of public events aimed at advocacy and trail service. Thousands of hikers, bikers, rowers, horseback riders, trail clubs, federal and local agencies, land trusts, and businesses come together in partnership to advocate for, maintain, and clean up public lands and trails.”
Support this day by hiking, walking, riding, becoming a volunteer with trail organizations, keeping trails clean and trash-free by picking up trash along the way, and supporting your local trails.
D-Day was the name given to the June 6, 1944, invasion of the beaches at Normandy in northern France by troops from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries during World War II. France at the time was occupied by the armies of Nazi Germany. By August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and in spring of 1945 the Allies had defeated the Germans. Historians often refer to D-Day as the beginning of the end of World War II.
When the American Revolution broke out in 1775, the colonists weren’t fighting united under a single flag. Instead, most regiments participating in the war for independence against the British fought under their own flags. In June of 1775, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to create the Continental Army—a unified colonial fighting force—with the hopes of a more organized battle against its colonial oppressors. This led to the creation of what was, essentially, the first “American” flag, the Continental Colors.
On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress took a break from writing the Articles of Confederation and passed a resolution stating that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.
In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence of Union troops. Many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery. After the war came to a close in the spring of 1865, General Granger’s arrival in Galveston that June signaled freedom for Texas’s 250,000 enslaved people. Although emancipation didn’t happen overnight for everyone—in some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season—celebrations broke out among newly freed Black people, and Juneteenth was born. That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment. The year following 1865, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of "Jubilee Day" on June 19.
In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday; several others followed suit over the years. On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth officially became a federal holiday.
The Stonewall Riots Anniversary commemorates the Stonewall riots that began on June 28, 1969. When the gay, lesbian, and transgender community took a stand against policy brutality. Lesbians and trans women of color were some of the key people involved in the act of resistance, including Stormé DeLarverie, Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson. The result was a series of protests and riots that shaped the modern LGBT rights movements.
The Stonewall Riots, also called the Stonewall Uprising, began in the early hours of June 28, 1969 when New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village in New York City. The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and neighborhood residents as police roughly hauled employees and patrons out of the bar, leading to six days of protests and violent clashes with law enforcement outside the bar on Christopher Street, in neighboring streets and in nearby Christopher Park.
Though the Stonewall uprising didn’t start the gay rights movement, it was a galvanizing force for LGBT political activism, leading to numerous gay rights organizations, including the Gay Liberation Front, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD (formerly Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), and PFLAG (formerly Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).
On the one-year anniversary of the riots on June 28, 1970, thousands of people marched in the streets of Manhattan from the Stonewall Inn to Central Park in what was then called “Christopher Street Liberation Day,” America’s first gay pride parade.
In 2016, then-President Barack Obama designated the site of the riots—Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, and the surrounding streets and sidewalks—a national monument in recognition of the area’s contribution to gay rights.
This month, is a celebration of love, equality, and acceptance for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other members (LGBTQIA+) of the community. It is a time to acknowledge and appreciate the LGBTQIA+ community’s extraordinary resilience and contributions to our country. Everyone here at FEMA and across the country deserves equal rights, dignity and respect.
FEMA’s core values of compassion, fairness, integrity and respect guide every aspect of our service to the nation and its communities, including the LGBTQ+ community, and FEMA will continue to elevate programs and efforts to support them.
The 2023 FEMA Pride Month theme is “Stronger Together.” This aligns with New York City’s Pride theme of “Strength in Solidarity.” This theme aims to highlight the cultural significance of today’s LGBTQIA+ community, while acknowledging every individual’s uniqueness and ability to empower each other. Strength in Solidarity is about standing up to the fear and intimidation that aims to isolate and diminish the community and its allies. It is also about fighting back against hatred and violence.
This Pride Month, FEMA will host a number of events at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and nationwide through its regional offices, to provide an opportunity for LGBTQ+ community members and their allies to meet and talk about issues pertaining to their identities, get to know each other, build rapport and create a supportive LGBTQ+ Family.
Main Event: “Stronger Together: FEMA Pride 2023” featuring the FEMA Pride FERG Board
In commemoration of Juneteenth, the FEMA Veterans Advisory Council (VAC) is presenting remarks from board members and officers of the Seminole Indian Scouts Cemetery Associations.
The event will take place from 2 – 3 p.m. ET on June 14. To join the FEMA VAC in honoring the history of Juneteenth, use FEMA Zoom and passcode: 539064.
