Willig, Williams & Davidson Statement About Juneteenth

Many of us at Willig, Williams & Davidson have lived through significant historical periods during which we earnestly and passionately believed that a particular event or movement would “change” things—bring fairness, secure justice, achieve equality. Although strides have been made over our lifetimes, we have as a society fallen far short of these goals.

But now, despite the pandemic, in recent weeks we have seen the energy and commitment of a new generation, with people of all races, all nationalities, all genders, and so many people of faith, demanding actual justice, tearing down past wrongs, and vowing to fight until real and lasting change is achieved. We believe we are at a crossroad in this country, and the activism we are seeing now will continue this fight until tangible results occur. This gives us hope.

So…to honor the struggles of this new generation and those who came before, we have decided to close the offices on Friday—Juneteenth—to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. We are also making a substantial donation to Repairers of the Breach, an organization headed by the Reverend William Barber whose mission is to deal with how society treats the poor, women, LGBTQ people, children, workers, immigrants, communities of color, and the sick.