UUFM

The Juneteenth flag represents freedom, liberation, and the enduring spirit of African Americans. It commemorates June 19, 1865, the day when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. The red, white, and blue colors remind us that African Americans are an important part of the American story and that the fight for freedom helped shape the nation. The bursting star in the center symbolizes a new beginning and the freedom that spread across the United States.

The curved horizon across the flag represents a new dawn and the promise of a brighter future. The Juneteenth flag honors the resilience, courage, and determination of generations who endured slavery, discrimination, and injustice while continuing to build families, communities, businesses, and institutions. It serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by our ancestors and celebrates the progress achieved through faith, perseverance, and the ongoing pursuit of equality. Each Juneteenth, the flag stands as a symbol of hope, remembrance, unity, and the continuing journey toward freedom for all.

We are born of motion and energy, chaos and cooperation.

In her General Assembly Ingathering message, Gail Forsyth-Vail invites us to remember a profound truth: from the earliest moments of life on Earth, survival has depended on adaptation, relationship, and mutuality.

"We are born of motion and energy and chaos and danger and cooperation. This is our inheritance."

Read the full transcript at the link in comments.

And if you're following General Assembly from afar, keep an eye on UUWorld.org all week long for news, reflections, and coverage from GA 2026.

Save the Date on 7/5 for“Radical Reimagining: Reclaiming the American Dream”

In acknowledgment of the United States of America's 250th birthday, join UUMFE as we honor our country's past while addressing its harm then and now in an effort to transmute our future into the loving and liberatory place we know that it can be so that we may reclaim "The American Dream". When we heal ourselves, we heal seven generations backward and forward, so please join us as we transform ourselves in order to transform the world.

The service will be via Zoom on Sunday, July 5th at 8pm ET / 5pm PT. Stay tuned for more information in upcoming emails, blog posts, and social media posts.