Wentworth Marking Juneteenth as Day of Reflection, Education and Action

On Friday, June 19, Wentworth Institute of Technology will suspend classes and cancel administrative meetings so that all members of the community can participate in a self-directed Day of Reflection, Education and Action. This campus-wide pause coincides with Juneteenth, which commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States in 1865, nearly two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

“It is important to acknowledge that members of our community are experiencing the impact of these most recent acts of racism and the current climate differently,” said President Mark A. Thompson in a statement. “Those who have been directly or indirectly affected by acts of racial injustice (and by what they have witnessed in the past several weeks) may pause to use this day for rest or to engage in other aspects of self-care. Others may choose to engage in self-reflection, education, or taking direct action. I ask that all community members make a personal commitment to participate in a way that is meaningful and beneficial.”

A virtual community discussion will be held on Tuesday, June 16th from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Thompson noted that participants should come prepared to share ways that they have engaged in reflection, education and action in the past, or ideas for Friday’s Day of Reflection, Education, and Action and beyond.

“I encourage participants to share recommendations of work by Black authors, scholars, directors, organizers, community leaders, local organizations, and business owners, inside or outside the STEAM fields, so that we elevate their critical contributions and work,” Thompson said.