States slow to make Juneteenth a paid holiday - June 17, 2022

Executive Leadership Briefing

Recognition of Juneteenth – the effective end of slavery in the U.S. celebrated on June 19 – gained traction after the police killed George Floyd in 2020, but the movement to make the day an official holiday has slowed in some states. More than 40% of Americans surveyed said they have the day off for Juneteenth – an 11% increase from a year ago – but half of those workers said they wouldn’t be paid for it. Increased knowledge of Juneteenth has resulted in some corporations attempting to monetize the holiday, drawing backlash from activists who insist the actions are more performative than genuine.

The U.S. economy is beginning to slow under the combined weight of soaring inflation and climbing interest rates, with recent reports showing a sharp decline in key sectors. Borrowing costs for consumers and businesses have risen, meaning that prices for goods and services are soaring as well as the cost of loans used to buy houses, cars and other items. The Federal Reserve reiterated the central bank’s commitment to bringing down inflation Friday, emphasizing its role in the global financial system.

President Joe Biden announced plans to cut the number of fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. by 13% by 2025, potentially saving tens of thousands of lives. Part of Biden’s strategy includes the expansion of harm reduction programs, which face a complicated reality on the ground as many local governments remain resistant. Despite data supporting a sharp rise in drug overdoses across the U.S. – particularly during the pandemic – the share of Americans who view drug addiction as a “major problem” has consistently declined since 2018.

The U.S. government and many companies have spent billions of dollars on several programs intended to upgrade internet speeds in rural areas over the past decade, but flaws in the programs’ design have left many residents with a lacking broadband connection. The issue exacerbates education gaps among students as well as rural economies that are left out of the e-commerce push.

Scientists identified a distinct subpopulation of polar bears in southeastern Greenland that, in an area with little sea ice, survive by hunting from ice that breaks off glaciers. The discovery suggests a small number of bears may survive as warming continues and the ice they normally depend on disappears. Scientists continue to study record-shattering events that could link climate change to extreme weather and encourage government agencies to move into attribution studies.

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