Honouring Juneteenth: A Reflection from Across the Ocean | by Dr Steve Jeffs, MCC

What is Juneteenth?

For those of us outside the USA, Juneteenth is not a concept we have much awareness of. I am an Australian, living in the UK, and this year, I decided to get curious about Juneteenth, what it is and why I should be aware of it.

A National (USA) Holiday With a Deeper Message

Juneteenth was long celebrated in communities, especially in the American South, with parades, music, storytelling, and family gatherings. But only in 2021 did Juneteenth become a federal holiday in the U.S., thanks in large part to the decades-long efforts of Opal Lee, a retired teacher and activist known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth. At age 89, she walked 1,400 miles from Texas to Washington, D.C., to push for national recognition.

People think it’s a Black thing, when it’s not. It’s not a Texas thing. It’s not that.
Juneteenth means freedom, and I mean for everybody.
— Opal Lee

Now, it serves as a national reminder that:

• Freedom must be made real—not just written into law.
• Equity and justice are ongoing efforts.
• We all have a role in creating a more inclusive and free society.

What Is Juneteenth and Why Does It Matter?

Juneteenth—short for June Nineteenth—is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Specifically, it marks the 19^th of June, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and formally announced freedom to the last remaining enslaved African Americans.

What struck me about this event, was that slavery had been abolished more than two years earlier, back in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation!

In our world of instant updates and global news, I find it hard to imagine a message taking 2 years to travel anywhere, let alone within the same country. This highlights to me the importance of the event: even though the law had changed, it took 2 extra years for more than 250,000 enslaved people so see freedom.

That’s what makes Juneteenth so significant. It marks the day when justice finally reached those who had been unjustly denied it.

Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.
— Fannie Lou Hamer

These people enslaved in Texas had already endured years of brutal conditions and the injustices of slavery. While their strength and resilience were undeniable, freedom remained out of reach, even after it had been declared. It wasn’t until Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with 2,000 Union troops that their freedom was finally enforced. He delivered General Order No. 3—formally announcing that “all slaves are free.” The law had changed, but only now was freedom made real.

As coaches, we’re not liberators in the historical sense— yet we can be the voice that supports someone to realise a truth they already sense, but haven’t been able to reach. We hold space for people to uncover what’s been buried, to challenge limiting beliefs, to reclaim power and possibility that may have long been denied.

However, the celebration of Juneteenth is not just a commemoration of freedom; it is a call to active awareness — of how power, privilege, and bias operate, even in spaces that aim to be inclusive.

No matter how much we can self-manage, our coaching is never completely neutral. Every question we ask, every framework we offer, every assumption we hold is shaped by our worldview. That’s why it’s not enough to simply mean well. We must commit to ongoing reflection, unlearning, and humility—especially when working across lines of race, identity, and lived experience.

Until we’re willing to see how we might be part of the problem, we can’t fully be part of the solution.

I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.
— Angela Davis

An Invitation

I wanted to end this not with a "to-do," but with a to-consider:

• What does freedom mean to you — and to those around you?
• How might you use your voice to amplify others?
• What stories have been missing from your understanding of history?
• Where can your coaching practice — and life — include more awareness?

Let us each take this day as a reminder to reflect, to learn, and to commit to the ongoing work of equity and liberation — for all people, everywhere.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:

• All DEI for Coaches Articles

For Further Exploration

Here are some resources for those who wish to dig a little deeper:

• National Museum of African American History and Culture
• One of the earliest and most comprehensive sites dedicated to Juneteenth's celebration and history. Juneteenth.com
• Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) – The Legacy of Slavery and Freedom
  Provides context on racial injustice, systemic inequality, and the importance of remembering Juneteenth.

Videos & Talks

• Stories of Juneteenth: A Conversation with Ms. Opal Lee
  In 2016, at the age of 89, Opal Lee walked 1,400 miles from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., to advocate for Juneteenth's recognition.
• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – The Danger of a Single Story
  A powerful talk on perspective, identity, and the importance of hearing multiple voices.

Contributing Author:

Dr Steve Jeffs is a Master Certified Coach (MCC), business and organisational psychologist, and leadership transformation expert with over 20 years of global experience. Before becoming a full-time coach, Steve led large-scale leadership assessment and development programs, organisational change initiatives, and cultural transformation projects across the Middle East, working with government bodies, multinationals, and high-growth businesses. His early career as a registered psychologist and management consultant continues to shape his pragmatic, systems-oriented approach to coaching and leadership.

Today, Steve serves as Director of Coaching at The Coaching Tools Company, where he brings together his expertise in psychology, strategy, and personal development to create practical, impactful tools for coaches and leaders alike. He is also the Co-Founder of The Guiding Matrix, a company dedicated to helping coaches grow sustainable businesses while expanding their leadership capacity.

With over 5,000 coaching hours, Steve has worked with executives and teams in more than 20 countries, including in the UK, UAE, KSA, USA, Egypt, South Africa, and the Philippines. His coaching clients include leaders from organisations such as HSBC, Siemens, Roche Diagnostics, STC, Etisalat, Sanofi, and Dubai Holding. As one of the first MCCs in the Middle East, Steve has also trained and mentored over 1,000 coaches globally and continues to supervise coaches through their credentialing journeys.

Steve is a multi-award-winning coach, recognised globally for his work on leadership and innovation—including honours from the World Innovation Congress and CHRO Asia. He is co-author of Stuck No More: Practical Self-Coaching for Everyday Problems and Shift Up: Strength Strategies for Optimal Living, and is the creator of multiple strengths-based assessments and coaching tools, including the StrengthsMultiplier™. With a Doctorate in Leadership and a Master's in Organisational Psychology, Steve blends deep psychological insight with practical coaching to help individuals, teams, and organisations thrive.

Originally from Australia, Steve now lives in the UK having worked in the UAE for over a decade, bringing both global perspective and deep regional understanding to his work. When not coaching or creating tools, you’ll likely find him exploring deep caves or shipwrecks—he’s a certified technical diver and cave explorer who brings the same spirit of curiosity and courage to his coaching and leadership work.

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