Dear Cal State East Bay community,
Last week, we honored Juneteenth with a watch party for the systemwide CSU Juneteenth Symposium hosted by Cal State LA. Our watch party, attended by East Bay students and employees was held in the Diversity Inclusion Student Center that was followed by a meaningful discussion about Juneteenth.
Juneteenth is also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Juneteenth Independence Day and Black Independence Day. It marks June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX, and announced the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery in Texas. Note this occurred more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863. Viewed in all its complexity, Juneteenth is both a celebration of freedom and one more symptom of the anti-Black racism that has persisted for generations.
In attending the Juneteenth Symposium watch party, I was inspired by many of the speakers who spoke on this year’s theme: Pathways to Progress – Legacy, Learning and Leadership. I acknowledge and recognize that our courage is critical in this commitment to serving students at Cal State East Bay. Chancellor Garcia shared that the actions we take towards equity is our work, and at Cal State East Bay, we aim to continue our work to listen to the needs of our Black students and respond in ways that will address their unique challenges as we support them in their journey towards success.
As we continue to commemorate, honor and celebrate Juneteenth, we continue our commitment to serving our Black students and community. We serve each and every student by staying student centric, equity-driven, data-informed, collaborative and transparent.
Please feel free to join us on campus for two more events happening this week:
Thursday, June 18, 2026 for Black At the Bay Juneteenth Celebration in The Square (north union food court) from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
Saturday, June 20, 2026 Hayward Juneteenth at Mount Eden High School, Hayward, CA from 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Free food vouchers will be provided for students attending. For more information about food vouchers, please contact Yvette Yarbor, Office of Diversity, at yvette.yarbor@csueastbay.edu.
As a reminder, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and the CSU Board of Trustees adopted a resolution designating Juneteenth as a University holiday. The university will be closed this Friday, June 19, 2026.
As we engage in commemorating history, I want to leave you with a quote by Corretta Scott King that was highlighted in the Juneteenth Symposium, “Freedom is never really won; you earn it and win it in every generation”. I hope as we continue to earn it and win it in this generation, that we recognize that we all have a responsibility to engage with the hard conversations about equity as well as celebrate the joys of cultural resilience.
Sincerely,
Cathy Sandeen
University President
For more information on Juneteenth, here are a few resources you can visit:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Alameda County Library Juneteenth Roots Guide
NAACP Juneteenth Educational and Advocacy Campaigns
NBC Bay Area Juneteenth Events
June 18, 2026