June 19 marks Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned they were free—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The celebration has long symbolized freedom, resilience, and Black innovation; Congress formally recognized it as a U.S. holiday in 2021. Yet freedom is only the first step. True equity means economic inclusion—and that’s exactly what a new wave of Black‑owned cannabis beverage founders is fighting for in 2025.