MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday delivered the Democratic Radio Address celebrating Juneteenth in Wisconsin and highlighting the state's continued efforts to address existing racial disparities and ensure a more just, equitable, and fair state for Wisconsinites.

Audio file of Radio Address.

Hi, Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers here.

For 156 years, our nation has celebrated Juneteenth: the day in 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to declare the end of slavery, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted.

This Juneteenth, as we recognize the trials Black Americans have overcome and celebrate the resilience, vibrancy, and countless contributions of Black Wisconsinites, we must also recognize our work toward equity and justice in this state is far from finished.

I don’t have to tell you that Wisconsin faces some of the most disparate outcomes for Black Wisconsinites, from inequities in housing and healthcare to education and childcare to the justice system and economic opportunity.

And the COVID-19 pandemic has only underscored and furthered these inequities, making our work that much more pressing and that much more urgent.

That's why, as we keep bouncing back from the pandemic, we’re also working to make sure that we’re putting equity front and center in our recovery efforts and addressing racial disparities in our state head-on.

Because we know that building a more just, more equitable, and more fair state means connecting the dots between issues and tackling disparities holistically.

Folks, we’ve got our work cut out for us.

But I know that, by working together, we will move forward in solidarity and build a more just, more equitable Wisconsin for everyone.

Thank you.