🌺 A Juneteenth Reflection – From One Queen to Another

Mary Curry
Jun 18
2 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

Dear Queens of Linked ARMS,

As we move through this Juneteenth season, I want to pause and hold space with you—not just for what this holiday represents, but for what it feels like deep in our bones. This day, June 19th, is more than a date on the calendar. It’s a spiritual echo—an ancestral reminder that our liberation was delayed but never denied.'

Juneteenth tells the truth: freedom didn’t come easy, and for many, it didn’t come right away. It took time, resilience, and faith. And that’s what our stories reflect too.

As Black women in early learning, we are the legacy of those who waited, who fought, and who kept going. Our ancestors’ prayers are woven into the very fabric of the work we do. They labored without wages, without recognition, and often without rest—yet they nurtured generations into existence.

Today, we teach with love, we feed with care, and we lead with fire in our bellies and grace in our hands. What they planted, we are harvesting.

A Few Soft Truths for Juneteenth

You are freedom walking. When you open your child care program, you’re reclaiming what was once forbidden: the right to teach our own, in our own homes, with our own values.
Your joy is resistance. When we laugh with our babies, dance to old school jams in our classrooms, or sit together in sisterhood, we’re healing what history tried to break.
Your rest is your right. Our foremothers didn’t survive so we could burn out. Take the nap. Ask for help. Say no without guilt. Your peace is part of our liberation.

Our Linked Arms Are Stronger Than Ever

Our association isn’t just a name. It’s a spiritual practice. We link arms because the journey gets heavy—and no Queen should carry it alone. Whether you’re tired, triumphing, or just trying, know that you are surrounded by a community of women who see you, honor you, and stand with you.

So as you celebrate Juneteenth, I invite you to:

Make space for your own healing
Tell the babies the story of why this day matters
Reflect on the fact that you are part of a divine lineage of liberation

And if you need to cry, dance, cook, sing, or be silent to feel that freedom—do it all. This holiday belongs to you, too.

In Closing, My Queens...

Let’s keep building this movement of love and excellence—one child, one classroom, one act of care at a time. We were never meant to do this work alone. We were always meant to LINK ARMS together.

With every heartbeat of gratitude and pride,