Happy Juneteenth y’all. As some states, companies, and organizations have started to recognize Juneteenth as an annual holiday, the streamer company Netflix alongside creators Pharrell Williams and Kenya Barris are in talks to give us more.
The plans to produce a feature-length musical on the commemoration of the end of slavery, as well as its storyline details, are in the early stages, according to Deadline.
If all goes as planned, Williams will produce the project with his partner Miami Valdes and Barris will work through his production company Khalabo Ink Society.
Academy Award nominee Williams recently stood alongside governor Northam in his home state of Virginia to announce that moving forward, Juneteenth will be recognized as an annual paid state holiday starting this year.
“This year, Juneteenth will look like no other Juneteenth before it,” he added. The epic move was the opportunity for the government, corporations, and citizens to “stand in solidarity with their African American brothers and sisters,” Williams said.
Texas and New York were two other states that joined in to celebrate June 19, 1865 “Juneteenth,” the day General Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and declared slaves were free. Amid the fight for racial justice and the end of police brutality, many are pushing legislators to make the day an observed federal holiday.
Barris would also like to see Juneteenth celebrated as a national holiday. His hit show “BlackAF,” which airs on the Netflix platform, featured a June 19th party, and his ABC show “Black-ish” kicked off their fourth season with a landmark episode that honored the day and helped to bring awareness to the meaning of the day. Barris has said both moves were the most meaningful things he’s worked on.
As for now, many have decided to follow suit, among others, Hollywood companies CAA, Endeavor, ICM, UTA, Gersh, APA, SAG-AFTRA, The Lede Company, and R&C/PMK, as well as Twitter and Spotify, have considered it an annual paid holiday.
Changes are being made, America; but let us continue to apply pressure.
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