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Saturday is June 19, the 156th anniversary since enslaved African Americans in Texas were informed by Major General Gordon Granger that they were free. They were the last enslaved people to learn of the end of chattel slavery, more than two months after the end of the Civil War.
Juneteenth is a day to celebrate freedom, but it is also a day to reflect on the ways the legacy of racism still infects our communities and the work we must do if we are finally to make good on the promise of racial justice and equity.
Yesterday, President Biden signed legislation creating Juneteenth as the first new federal holiday in decades, which follows earlier action this year by the Washington State Legislature to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday. Last year, my colleagues and I passed legislation directing King County government to observe two new holidays beginning in 2022, Juneteenth and Indigenous Peoples’ Day. These new holidays reflect our work to build a more racially just King County by honoring and strengthening our understanding of our history.
Tomorrow, I’m happy to co-sponsor and invite you to an Eastside Juneteenth event (Saturday, June 19 from noon to 3pm) at the Downtown Park in Redmond (16101 NE, Redmond Way) to learn about the history of Juneteenth and celebrate its significance.
 70% vaccination milestone achieved!
On Tuesday, King County crossed an important threshold in its fight against COVID-19, with over 70% of residents ages 16 and up completing their vaccine series. On June 29 - two weeks after Tuesday - 70% of residents 16 and older will be protected from COVID-19 through vaccination and the King County mask directive will end (remember, it takes two weeks after completing the vaccine series to be considered fully protected.).
Once the King County mask directive ends on June 29, the three public orders around mask guidance (Washington’s general public order, the CDC order for travelers, and Washington state’s workplace order) will remain in effect in King County.
Learn more about the work to increase vaccination rates across King County and what’s ahead from King County Public Health >>>
 Spread the word!
Please forward this email widely and invite others to sign-up to my email updates to receive important and timely information for District 6 constituents.
Sincerely,
 Claudia Balducci
King County Council
Council Chair
District 6
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