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Good morning. Today is Juneteenth (read on to learn more). In lieu of a sponsor, we’d like to draw attention to Black Business Matters, a group created to connect consumers of all races with reputable, black-owned businesses. Have a great weekend y’all.

Daily Sprinkle

“It is important to draw wisdom from different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale.”

- Uncle Iroh, Avatar: The Last Airbender

The History of Juneteenth

Cities & states across the country today are celebrating Juneteenth - a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S., with a focus on black education and achievement.

What is Juneteenth?
The 1863 Emancipation Proclamation declared freedom for all those enslaved in Confederate territories. However, not all slaves were immediately freed once the executive order was enacted.

On June 19th, 1865 - two-and-a-half years later - Union General Gordon Granger reached Galveston, TX, the last remaining U.S. territory where slavery persisted.
Gen. Granger informed the slaves in the state that the Civil War was over, and they had been declared free.
Juneteenth began the next year as an annual tradition celebrated by freed slaves in Texas. The custom slowly spread as the state’s residents resettled across the country over the next century.

Across the U.S.
Juneteenth is a recognized holiday in 47 states and D.C. Congress proposed a resolution to make June 19th a national holiday in 2018, but the bill ultimately failed.

In light of social distancing, today’s celebrations include Denver’s online Juneteenth Music Festival (featuring a virtual dance contest), Chicago’s Virtual Juneteenth Celebration, and Sacramento’s celebration of music and poetry. You can find more Juneteenth events here.

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Protests & Coronavirus Updates

Global cases rose to nearly 8.57 million yesterday (up ~180k from yesterday), with almost 455,500 deaths (up ~5.3k). The number of confirmed U.S. cases rose past 2.26 million (up ~30k), with 120,621 confirmed deaths (up ~707). See how cases are changing in your state.

CA Gov. Newsom on Thursday said he will require everyone in the state to wear masks in most public areas.
NYC will move into Phase 2 reopening - which includes expanded outdoor dining, in-store retail, and salon services - on Monday.
The WSJ released a video documenting how smartphones became a tool for spotlighting police brutality. Watch it here (5:49).

Supreme Court Preserves DACA

The Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy on Thursday, ruling 5-4 that the administration did not provide adequate reasons for its removal. DACA allows some children who immigrated to the U.S. illegally to defer deportation and become eligible for a work permit.

LEFT CENTER → NYT (No $)	RIGHT CENTER → WSJ (No $)

Trump Campaign Ad Removed From Facebook

Facebook said it removed ads from the Trump campaign for including a symbol that violated its policy against “organized hate” on Thursday. The ads contained downward-pointing red triangles that were used by Nazis to label political prisoners in concentration camps. View the ad in question here.

LEFT CENTER → NPR	RIGHT CENTER → MarketWatch

The Coronavirus Effect

Another 1.5 million Americans filed for unemployment last week, roughly the same amount as the week before.
DoorDash closed a $400 million round of funding from three investors valuing the company at $16 billion. Analysts say COVID-19 played a large factor in the company’s decision to raise more funds.
Kroger disclosed a 92% jump in online grocery sales during the first fiscal quarter in its earnings report released on Thursday.
McDonald’s announced plans to hire an additional 260,000 workers in the U.S. this summer as its indoor dining facilities begin to reopen.

Wire Fraud

German payments giant Wirecard said on Thursday that its auditing company could not confirm the existence of about $2.1 billion in cash - roughly one-quarter of the company’s entire balance sheet. Shares of Wirecard fell more than 60% on the day, representing ~$9 billion in market value.

Two Peas In A Pod(cast)

Spotify announced two major podcast deals over the past two days. On Wednesday, the company reached an exclusive agreement to distribute podcasts created by Kim Kardashian West. Yesterday, Spotify signed a deal with Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment to produce a roster of original superhero-themed podcasts.

More: Other major podcast deals by Spotify over the past year-and-a-half include the acquisitions of startups Gimlet and Anchor, Bill Simmons’ The Ringer, and a licensing deal for The Joe Rogan Experience.

Class Is In Session

Stay-at-home orders around the world have prevented people with mental health conditions from receiving their usual treatment. With the threat of contracting the virus looming outside the home, a different peril has emerged within – the adverse effects of isolation.

Johns Hopkins University now offers a free online course in psychological first aid, a care method intended to help people respond to serious mental health situations. Taught by psychological intervention expert Dr. George S. Everly, the class trains students to appropriately identify and address symptoms of anxiety and depression in loved ones.

Pet Project

Pet owners rely more heavily than ever on the companionship of their beloved animals during social distancing. However, with the country’s unemployment level at a record high, many families are struggling to finance the care their pets deserve.

After noticing a significant decrease in clients, Brian Taylor - the owner of Harlem Doggie Day Spa - began the Pandemic Pup Relief Fund, an initiative to provide free care to canines in NYC. Following the program’s success in the city, Brian has taken his project on the road, offering free grooming, walking, and boarding to pups across the country.

I Dream Of Dance

When Seyi Oluyole was growing up in Nigeria, her family struggled with homelessness. Sleeping on the street and in friends’ garages, Seyi’s only escapes were through dance and daydreams. She wished that one of her idols, such as Beyoncé or Jennifer Lopez, would come to whisk her away from her desperation.

Now, Seyi is the founder of the Dream Catchers Academy, which offers free dance, drama, and music lessons to children in poverty. More than just an art instructor, Seyi uplifts her students as a mentor and adoptive mother, providing housing and education through her Dream Nurture Foundation.

🎈 Balloon To The Moon… a recently launched company called Space Perspective wants to float paying customers up to the stratosphere (~19 miles high) using a capsule attached to a giant balloon.

🌾 Miracle Grow… scientists have long been searching for a way to make crops grow in seawater. Learn more about the emerging group of startups and researchers looking to succeed where others have failed.

🦟 Bug-B-Gone… the Florida Keys is set to release special mosquitoes that are genetically modified to produce dead offspring in the hopes that they pass on the gene to the local population.

🌱 In Pod We Trust… a SantaFe startup has built a sustainable, shipping container-sized food production system - called a FarmPod - that can produce up to 100 lbs of food per week using 75% less space and 90% less water than conventional farming methods.