CenterPointe will begin next year recognizing Juneteenth — a day marking the end of enslavement in the U.S. — as a holiday after action by its board of directors.
The staff had proposed the change, and it will be the first step in an effort by the local nonprofit mental health and substance abuse treatment center to honor and recognize minority groups, said CEO Topher Hansen.
There are also plans to either set aside days to honor or to recognize in some other way the contributions of Native, Hispanic and LGBTQ populations, he said.
CenterPointe leadership noted that the inclusion of Juneteenth will be more than just time off on June 19. Staff will be encouraged to take the day to both learn the history of the holiday and celebrate.
On June 19, 1865, the last enslaved people in Texas got word that they were freed, nearly 2½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
People are also reading…
"We've got a lot of white holidays," said Hansen, who hopes other organizations in Lincoln will consider doing the same.
“Inaction is not a choice," he said. "We are committed to listening, learning, growing and changing. We welcome everyone through our front doors, and we want to celebrate them, too.â€