June is Caribbean American Heritage Month! Adopted in June of 2005 by the House of Representatives the resolution passed the Senate in February of 2006 and and a proclamation was issue later that year in June 2006 by former President George W. Bush. The push to institute Caribbean American Heritage Month began in 1999 through the efforts of the Institute of Caribbean Studies. Caribbean American Heritage Month celebrates the achievements of Caribbean Americans and raises awareness of issues facing the community in mainland United States, U.S. territories in the Caribbean, and other Caribbean islands.
The Caribbean covers a large swath of islands with diverse cultures, heritages, languages, and beliefs. More than 700 islands, reefs, and cays make up the Caribbean islands. There are 13 sovereign nations in this region as well as island territories of France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. For example, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are U.S. territories. For archaic and racist reasons, these territories continue to lack representation in Washington DC and people living in these territories are unable to vote for president unless they move to the mainland. Historically, there have been debates over making U.S. territories into states or ending U.S. control of its territories, but neither action has been seriously pursued by the U.S. government thus far. The current relationship between the U.S. and its territories, both in the Caribbean and in the Pacific Islands, creates a deep imbalance of power, income, opportunity, and autonomy.
Learn more about Caribbean American Heritage Month by clicking the links below:
Image Description: A brown-skinned child with pigtail braids and a white shirt blows bubbles using a bubble wand.
Credit: Trust "Tru" Katsande / Unsplash via Webador
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