On this Juneteenth, we honor the day when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to enforce the long-delayed emancipation of enslaved Black Americans, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is a day of celebration, remembrance, and reflection. It is also a day that reminds us how freedom in this country has never been freely given, but hard-won, and too often delayed.
As the Chief Diversity Officer at the New York State Office of Mental Health, I recognize that we commemorate Juneteenth in the midst of a national reckoning. Across the country, we are witnessing an increasingly oppressive federal landscape marked by the erosion of civil rights, attacks on LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants, the rollback of affirmative action, and rising structural inequality. These threats are not abstract. They shape the daily realities, safety, and mental well-being of Black Americans and multiply the trauma experienced by historically silenced communities.
At OMH, we believe that mental health equity is racial justice. And we know that the path to equity must be led by communities themselves. That is why we proudly support community-defined and culturally grounded healing models that honor the lived experiences and leadership of Black New Yorkers.
Programs like the Sawubona Healing Circles—whose name means “I see you”—create safe, affirming spaces where Black individuals can be witnessed in their fullness, hold one another in community, and begin to heal from both historical and present-day trauma. These healing circles, along with Afrocentric peer-run programs, family-centered supports, and regional partnerships across Harlem, Rochester, Buffalo, and beyond, reflect a truth we embrace at OMH: healing doesn’t always start in a clinic—it often starts in community.
We are also deeply inspired by the work of DBGM, Inc., which is confronting the mental health crisis facing Black gay men through advocacy, culturally informed support, and visibility. Their work exemplifies what it means to center those most impacted and reminds us that equity without inclusion is incomplete.
Within our own agency, our Advisory Committee for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) continues to guide OMH’s internal equity efforts. This diverse body of voices helps shape our strategy to embed equity into the foundation of our policies, partnerships, and workplace culture.
Juneteenth reminds us that the promise of liberation is not guaranteed—it must be protected, practiced, and expanded. At OMH, we recommit ourselves to that work. We uplift the strength, leadership, and cultural wisdom of Black communities across New York State. We invest in healing that is defined by the people most affected.
And we affirm that: True freedom includes the freedom to rest. The freedom to heal. The freedom to thrive.
In Solidarity,
T
Talia Santiago-Bonds
Chief Diversity Officer, NYS OMH
