Eloquent Resistance: Why Our Words Still Matter

As we acknowledge Juneteenth, the day when the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom, we are called to reflect not just on the event, but on the enduring legacy of the words that led to liberation, those that resisted it, and those who continue to guide us toward healing. 

The Constitution, often described as a living document, begins with “We the People.” And yet, when it was written, “the people” did not include everyone. It took the courageous words and actions of many to challenge and expand that definition. From Frederick Douglass to Ida B. Wells, John Brown, William Lloyd Garrison and James Baldwin, American writers have illuminated the contradictions of our founding ideals and demanded the nation live up to its promises. Our words serve as the foundation of our intentions, our promises and convictions. Words matter. ​​

Here are a few writers with Virginia roots who worked to uncover buried truths - 

"The ink of the negro journalist is more powerful than the bullets of the Ku Klux Klan."   -  John Mitchell, Jr., editor of the Richmond Planet 

"Writing saved me. I had to write myself into history because the history books didn't include me." -Dr. Shonda Buchanan, author/educator  

           " I write about strong, broken women who are bent but not broken…           
They represent the unheard, the unseen, and the forgotten." 
— Sadeqa Johnson, author of The Yellow Wife

"Music and writing are ways I speak truth to power. They allow me to express what my ancestors carried in silence."  - J. Plunky Branch, musician/song writer 

At Coming Together Virginia, we believe healing starts with truth. And truth begins with language. The written and spoken word—whether in a poem, a speech, a journal entry, or a shared story around the dinner table—has the power to pierce silence, confront denial, and build bridges across the divides of race and history. 

As we gather this Juneteenth, let us honor not just the emancipation of bodies, but the liberation of minds and hearts. Let us uplift the storytellers, past and present, who dare to speak what is often left unsaid. And let us remember that our words matter. They shape culture, inspire change, and remind us that “liberty and justice for all” is a goal still worth striving for. This month at our tables (or on the floor of Congress), may we write, speak, and listen with courage. Because the truth, told together, is what sets us free. ​