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CHICAGO’S WEEKEND EVENTS INCLUDE THE TASTE OF RANDOLPH, PRIDEFEST, TASTE OF CHICAGO: PULLMAN, SUMMER SMASH FESTIVAL, JUNETEENTH EVENTS, AND MANY MORE CITYWIDE

With many festivals, athletic events, and simultaneous events throughout the city and along the lakefront this weekend, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) is advising residents and visitors to be aware of street closures, additional crowds, increased traffic and to plan accordingly. The City of Chicago will have citywide deployments to ensure the safety and security of the public. The OEMC will monitor weekend events and weather conditions citywide from the Operations Center and coordinate public safety resources with critical stakeholders.

Report Suspicious Activity: If you See Something, Say Something. The city reminds the public to be aware of their surroundings and to report suspicious activity. If you notice something suspicious, notify onsite security or call 9-1-1. If You See Something, Say Something™ is a national anti-terrorism public awareness campaign that emphasizes the importance of reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities.

As a reminder, bridges will be lifted on Saturday, June 18 in succession from Ashland to DuSable Lake Shore Drive beginning at 8am for boats heading to the lake. Expect delays or seek alternate route.

Motorists in the areas where events are happening should be prepared for increased traffic and possible reroutes. There will be some street closures in effect for larger events to ensure public safety. Traffic Control Aides (TCAs) will be on hand at select events citywide to direct flow and impacts from heavy traffic. Residents and motorists should be aware of the following large events:

Chicago Pridefest -Northalsted
Saturday, June 18 – Sunday, June 19, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
The Chicago Pride Fest is held annually the weekend before the Chicago Pride Parade held along N. Halsted Street from Addison St. to Grace St. with upwards of 60,000 expected to attend. Event goers should be aware of the green pole makers with white numbers located on the light poles along N. Halsted used to reference location. No large bags/backpacks allowed, and all bags will be inspected prior to entry. For complete details, visit northalsted.com/pridefest

Taste of Chicago, Pullman
Pullman Park, 11101 S. Cottage Grove
Saturday, June 18, noon-8 p.m.
Taste of Chicago Pullman brings food vendors, music, and Chicago SummerDance to Pullman Park in the Pullman neighborhood. For complete details, visit TasteofChicago.us.

Gold Coast Art Fair, Grant Park
Saturday, June 18 – Sunday, June 19, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Butler Field in Grant Park is the location for the 64th Gold Coast Art Fair. Festival entrances to Butler Field are located on Monroe St. and Jackson Drive as well as Monroe and Columbus. For complete details, visit AmdurProductions.com/event/2022GoldCoastArtFair.

Taste of Randolph Street, West Loop
Friday June 17, 5–10 p.m.
Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19, noon–10 p.m.
Commemorating the iconic street festival’s 25th Anniversary along Randolph Street in the West Loop from 900-1200 W. Randolph. Entertainment will feature Chicago house music, DJs and more. For complete details, visit starevents.com/event/taste-of-randolph.

Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash 2022
Douglass Park – 1401 S. Sacramento Drive
Friday, June 17, 2–10 p.m.
Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19, noon–10 p.m.
The Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash is a three-day hip-hop festival in Douglass Park. All bags will be searched up entry, backpacks and bags with multiple pockets will not be permitted. For complete details, visit TheSummerSmash.com.
Street Closures:
• Full: Farrar Dr from 15th St to 19th St; 6/7/22-6/23
• Full: Sacramento Dr from 15th St to 19th St; 6/13-6/22
• Full: Farrar Dr from 12th Pl to 15th St; 6/16-6/19
• Full: Marshall Ave from 19th St to 21st St; 6/17-6/19
• Full: 19th St from California to Marshall Ave; 6/17-1/19
• Curb Lane: Sacramento Dr from 16th St to 19th St; 6/7-6/23
• Curb Lane: Ogden Ave from California to Kedzie; 6/17-6/19

ITAV Juneteenth Village Fest, Douglass Park
Saturday, June 18, noon–6 p.m.
First annual Juneteenth Fest held in Douglass Park on California Avenue from 12th Place to Ogden Ave. For complete details, visit itavschools.org/itavfest

Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field
Thursday, June 16, 1:20 p.m. (v. San Diego Padres)
Friday, June 17, Saturday, June 18, & Sunday, June 19, 1:20 p.m. (v. Atlanta Braves)
To plan your visit to Wrigley Field, visit MLB.com/cubs

Sail Grand Prix, Navy Pier
Wednesday, June 15 – Sunday, June 19, noon–6 p.m.
On June 18 and 19, nine national teams will race F50 catamarans on Lake Michigan.Bag checks and wanding will occur at all entrances. For complete details, visit SailGP.com/races.

Navy Pier Fireworks
600 E. Grand Ave. (Navy Pier)
Saturday, June 18 at 10 p.m.
Beginning on Memorial Day weekend, Navy Pier will present fireworks shows each Wednesday and Saturday through Labor Day weekend. Wednesday shows begin at 9 p.m. and Saturday shows begin at 10 p.m. For complete details, visit NavyPier.org.

Public Transportation: As with any large–scale event, public transportation is encouraged and both CTA and Metra are providing additional service for the event. Public transit is the most affordable, convenient, and environmentally friendly way to get to and from summertime events. For more information, visit CTA and Metra.com.

Pole Markers/Location Identifiers: Residents are reminded to be aware of the numbers attached to the poles throughout the Grant Park area and from 1200 DuSable Lake Shore Drive to 6600 DuSable Lake Shore Drive. These location identifiers help to reference a location within the park to share with friends, family and first responders if there is an emergency.

Weather and Public Safety: OEMC will monitor events through a collaboration with public safety partners. OEMC advises Chicagoans to be aware of weather conditions and to follow instructions and heed all warnings from public safety officials. Residents are encouraged to check the weather before heading out. For the most up-to-date information, please tune into local media or download a weather app.

OEMC issues alerts and notifications needed to keep residents and attendees up to date on weather conditions and emergencies. Sign up for NotifyChicago alerts at NotifyChicago.org. OEMC also issues TEXT alerts for lakefront notices, issues affecting businesses or COVID-19 updates:

• CHILAKE: For lakefront notices, TEXT “CHILAKE” to 7-8-0-1-5
• CHIBIZ: For alerts affecting businesses, TEXT “CHIBIZ” to 6-7-2-8-3
• COVID: Get COVID-19 updates by TEXTING “COVID19” to 6-7-2-8-3

For additional information on emergency preparedness information, visit the OEMC website at Chicago.gov/OEMC. Follow the Office of Emergency Management and Communications on Facebook (@coemc), Twitter (@ChicagoOEMC) and Instagram (chicago_oemc_911).

About OEMC
Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) oversees several functions that support public safety and provides assistance to residents 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The OEMC manages the following operational areas for the city: 9-1-1 call taking and dispatch; the 3-1-1 call center; emergency management; and traffic management. The OEMC coordinates with departments citywide, including the Chicago Police Department and Chicago Fire Department, in addition to various other local, state, and federal agencies as it relates to public safety planning and coordination for everything from large-scale special events to public safety emergencies and disasters.

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South Floridians observing Juneteenth at special events in Miami-Dade and Broward

South Floridians observing Juneteenth at special events in Miami-Dade and Broward

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Juneteenth is a day now recognized as federal holiday that marks the end of slavery in the United States.

One of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the state is happening in South Florida, and a little rain isn’t going to stop the event.

“To teach our youngsters that come behind us, it’s very, very important that they know what this day represents,” said Kathy Cole.

The event happening at Calder Casino in Miami Gardens is called aa park-in party.

What this means is that participants are encouraged to drive here and enjoy the stage festivities from inside of their vehicles.

There are a number of artists slated to perform, from local acts to national names like the headliner, Doug E. Fresh.

The event is also an educational opportunity for many families.

“Just to celebrate the meaning of Juneteenth and make them understand it’s a family affair and we should all unite and be a family,” said Michelle Burgess.

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Added Jonell Murphy: “This is very important. This is something that is not really taught in school, so we’re here today.”

There’s been a weekend of activities across South Florida. In fact, in Broward County people gathered along the water in Dania Beach to observe the holiday.

That Juneteenth event was called Joy Festival, restoring joy to Black communities.

These events speak directly to the history of what is now a federal holiday to mark the emancipation of slaves during the civil war.

“It’s such a joy to see people from all walks of life, Black, White, Indian, Caribbean, coming together to celebrate the history of Juneteenth and what it represents,” said Nerissa Street.

Copyright 2022 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.

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Juneteenth events to celebrate end of slavery

Juneteenth events to celebrate end of slavery

Sunday is Juneteenth National Independence Day, which became a national and state holiday in 2021.

Juneteenth commemorates the date, June 19, 1865, when Union Gen. Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas, and read General Order No. 3 to some of the last people still living in bondage in the United States.

South Portland raised a Juneteenth flag, designed by Ben Haith in 1997, on Friday in front of City Hall. It is a red, white and blue flag with a star in the center. The colors are a purposeful choice by the designer – a reminder that enslaved people and their descendants are Americans, and all Americans have a common bond of freedom. Michele McDonald/Staff Photographer

“All slaves are free,” the order declared, prompting a celebration that has been repeated annually in many Black communities for more than a century.

The news came nearly two months after Brevet Major General Joshua Chamberlain of Maine oversaw the surrender of the Confederate infantry at Appomattox, and more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Government offices, banks and some businesses will be closed on Monday to mark the official holiday, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day and Black Independence Day.

Here are some Juneteenth events scheduled on Sunday:

“What Does Juneteenth Mean?” a celebration showcasing music, art and culture by the Brunswick School District, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lower Mall, Brunswick.

• Biddeford Juneteenth Celebration, Mechanics Park, 1-3 p.m., speakers, light refreshments, music.

South Portland Juneteenth Commemoration, Mill Creek Park, 1-4 p.m., speakers, music, kids corner, ice cream truck.

Portland Juneteenth Celebration, Congress Square Park, 1-4 p.m., art, music, spoken word performances.

Juneteenth Free Day, Portland Museum of Art, including “Brother to Brother,” a film by Black writer-director Rodney Evans, in-person screening, 2 p.m., 7 Congress Square.

Juneteenth Freedom Celebration, 200 Anderson St., Portland, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., food trucks, arts, culture, music.

“Maine’s Black History,” a conversation with historians Seth Goldstein and Bob Greene, 4:15 p.m., South Portland Public Library.

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Twin Cities events celebrating Juneteenth

Twin Cities events celebrating Juneteenth

All over the Twin Cities this weekend, events are going on in celebration of Juneteenth, the federal holiday on June 19 that commemorates the emancipation of the last enslaved Africans in America.

Juneteenth has been around since 1866, but in 2021 it was made a federal holiday, and now people have a new energy to their celebrations. Many kicked things off with a parade down Fremont Avenue in Minneapolis; an event to boost unity in the community with dozens of organizations and groups on display.

“With all the stuff we’ve been going through, it’s a positive aspect, something we need back in North Minneapolis,” Terrance Frelix told FOX 9.

A lot of the fun on Saturday was centered around Bethune Park, where the crowd honored its history, while looking ahead optimistically to what is to come.

“This is really the time that black folks can actually celebrate our freedom,” Jasmine D’avilar said. “And just celebrate Black joy and Black businesses and just celebrate the culture that we have here.”

Nearby in North Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota hosted an inaugural Juneteenth celebration. The event was centered around “blackness and the black experience,” with Black vendors, speakers and performers.

“I think there’s always a need to celebrate black culture and black people,” D’avilar continued. 

As she bounced between different gatherings in town, she said she hopes to see all of it grow in future years, “We do need more days like this, we need more opportunities, we need more than just one month to celebrate our history because black history is American history,” D’avilar finished.

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Don’t miss these Juneteenth events in Evanston – Evanston RoundTable

Don't miss these Juneteenth events in Evanston - Evanston RoundTable


Planning to celebrate Juneteenth this weekend?

It’s been a year since President Joseph Biden signed into law the federal holiday commemorating the date in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told by newly arrived federal troops that they were free, two-and-a-half years after President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Whether you’ve celebrated Juneteenth your whole life or if this year is the first time, here are some suggestions for how to celebrate Black freedom this weekend:

Go to Evanston’s Juneteenth celebration: Go to the Civic Center’s Ingraham Park for a party that lasts until 6 p.m. It’s organized by Kemone Hendricks via her nonprofit company, Evanston Present & Future, and her for-profit business, Mari & Mari Enterprises in conjunction with the City of Evanston.

Festivities at Ingrahm park, will feature performances by Kingsway Preparatory school, Funkadesi, Donovan Mixon Jazz Quintet, Christ Temple Choir and food from Jecky’s BBQ, Happy Taco, Firehouse Grill and C&W Market and Ice Cream Parlor. Come out and enjoy dozens of arts and craft vendors, as well as multiple hands-on activities for the family.

Attend the Juneteenth Frederick Douglass exhibit at Northwestern’s Deering Library: Freedom for Everyone: Slavery and Abolition in 19th Century America is a new exhibition at the Charles Deering Library at Northwestern University’s lakefront campus. The exhibit showcases rarely seen papers and letters about Frederick Douglass’ enslavement and later freedom, along with other documents about the experience of 19th century Black America. A version of the exhibit is available online, but the exhibit was purposefully curated for a Juneteenth showing.

Watch The Big Payback, a film about local reparations: The documentary, which premiered this week at the Tribeca Film Festival, is directed by Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow and follows the journey of former City Council member Robin Rue Simmons and other city officials as they attempt to get the local reparations program up and running. It’s available to screen from home on the Tribeca Film Festival website for $20. 

Check out the Library: Evanston Public Library is hosting several Juneteenth events.

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Mid-Missouri set to hold multiple events to celebrate Juneteenth – ABC17NEWS

Mid-Missouri set to hold multiple events to celebrate Juneteenth - ABC17NEWS

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Juneteenth celebrations are set to take place in both Jefferson city and Columbia Saturday, for the public to attend to celebrate the holiday.

Juneteenth, is a celebration marking the official end to slavery as federal troops marched into Galveston, Texas to ensure all enslaved people were free over 100 years ago.

The event happen two years after Abraham Lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation.

2021 was the first time Juneteenth became a national holiday after President Biden signed a document making it official.

In Columbia, a parade is set to start at 10 a.m on Saturday.

The line up will begin at 9 a.m. at First Baptist Church on 1112 E.Broadway and travel down East Broadway and end at Douglass park.

The event is set to last until 6 p.m with games, food and other activities for people to enjoy.

Columbia police will also have traffic devices along the parade route to block traffic, so drivers will need to find alternative routes.

On Sunday, there will also be a father’s day celebration from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m at Douglass Park that includes free food, a crowning of fathers and other activities.

This is the 2nd annual celebration in Columbia for the Juneteenth Holiday.

In Jefferson City, there will be a heritage celebration that includes an emancipation program starting at 10 a.m. at Lincoln University’s soldier’s memorial, followed by a freedom march to community park at 10:40 a.m.

Once at community park A Juneteenth Heritage Festival will begin at 11 a.m that includes  a heritage tour, book signing  and other activities.

To observe the holiday, Jefferson City has decided to close all their city offices on Monday with operations resuming on Tuesday.

This is also the first year Columbia is observing Juneteenth, so city offices will be closed in Columbia on Monday as well. 

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Here’s a list of 2022 Juneteenth events happening in the Bay Area

Here's a list of 2022 Juneteenth events happening in the Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — This year marks the 156th anniversary of Juneteenth, the holiday that recognizes the first day of freedom for enslaved Africans in Texas and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States as a whole.

RELATED: How to talk to your kids about Juneteenth

Check out our list below of events across the Bay Area honoring Juneteenth:

June 17

‘The Joy Protocol’ at the Bayview Opera House
The Bayview Opera House will host the premiere of “The Joy Protocol,” a collaboration between San Francisco choreographer Gregory Dawson and jazz musician and composer Richard Howell.

June 16-18, 8pm, $15-$50. Details here.

June 18

Afrocentric Oakland’s Juneteenth Weekend
This two-part Lake Merritt celebration is kicking off Saturday with the Pan-African Wellness Fest. It features guided meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, self-defense, spoken word performances, interactive art installations, a youth zone, keynote speakers, Black excellence awards and vendors.

Lake Merritt Amphitheater. June 18, 12-8 p.m., $5. Details here.

JuneteenthSF Freedom Celebration
Juneteenth San Francisco Celebration in the Fillmore will have carnival rides, hair & fashion Show, car show, giveaways and more.

1330 Fillmore Street, June 18 at 11 a.m. Details here.

Juneteenth With MoAD

San Francisco’s Museum of the African Diaspora is hosting in-person and virtual events. Virtual events include a panel of artists discussing representation and equality paired with revolutionary music and a presentation from Dr. Daina Ramey Berry on the history of the Transatlantic slave trade through to the emancipation of enslaved people in America. In person, the museum will host St. Gabriel’s Celestial Brass Band as they lead a second-line procession and performance.

Admission to MoAD’s current exhibitions will also be free all day. June 18, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Details here.

52nd Annual Sonoma County MLK Juneteenth Community Festival

This festival will have live music, food, a basketball tournament, arts and crafts, dominoes, spoken word performances and Zumba. There will also be a march from Julliard Park to Martin Luther King Park to honor Sonoma County activist Vince Harper.

Martin Luther King Park. June 18, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Details here.

East Oakland Futures Festival

This block party along the Scraper Bike Way will celebrate East Oakland’s food, arts, tech and culture with an Afrocentric tilt. A community bike ride will kick off the event.

June 18, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Details here.

June 19

Afrocentric Oakland’s Juneteenth Weekend
Sunday, Afrocentric Oakland will host its Fam Bam celebration. “Fam Bam X” will have live performances from DJs, art displays, a youth zone, PanAfrican vendors, and a Black Father’s Day tribute.

Lake Merritt Amphitheater. June 19, 12 p.m.- 8 p.m., $20. Details here.

‘BLACK AS U R’ screening at the Castro Theatre

In this documentary, filmmaker Micheal Rice explores racism and homophobia within Black communities and the unique challenges faced by those who hold both queer and Black identities.

Castro Theatre, June 19, 6:15 pm, $17.50. Details here.

Juneteenth Xtreme Hip Hop with Coach Jay, Bonz, and Amber

STEP with PRIDE at the Juneteenth Xtreme Hip Hop with Coach Jay, Bonz, and Amber INSIDE the Solano Town Center (Fairfield Mall). Xtreme Hip Hop is a fun, high-energy aerobic step class. We will step, move, and groove to old and new school hip hop. All ages and fitness levels are welcome.

June 18 at 10 a.m. Details here.

June 19

East Bay Regional Parks Juneteenth Events
There’s a Juneteenth Celebration Hike at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont celebrating Black contributions and achievements throughout history and in the fields of science, conservation, and art. Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont will host an all-ages baseball game. At the Father’s Day and Juneteenth Celebration at Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda, there will be a story circle at the top of every hour and craft-making throughout the day at the Crab Cove Visitor Center.

June 19. Details here.

Bayview Juneteenth Father’s Day

Join in on Sunday, June 19th at Gilman Park in San Francisco for amazing food vendors, the Black Millionaire Marketplace, live performances, amusement park rides for children, and many other community resources and activities.

Gilman Park, June 19. Details here

Juneteenth Run w/ Black Men Run
Black Men Run will be leading a group run to remember and reflect on Juneteenth. There will be a 5k and 5k+ option and the run is open to runners of all levels and abilities. Post-run you will meet up in the Presidio store to connect and hear a few words about the impact of Juneteenth on the Black Men Run community.

Sports Basement Presidio, June 19, 9 a.m. Details here.

WATCH: Black hymns: The legacy left by the enslaved honored on Juneteenth and every day

See more stories and videos related to Juneteenth here.

Copyright © 2022 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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Juneteenth organizers ‘carry a broken heart’ planning events after mass shooting in Buffalo

Juneteenth organizers 'carry a broken heart' planning events after mass shooting in Buffalo

The upcoming federal Juneteenth holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas found out they were free — 2 1/2 years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation granting freedom to people who had been enslaved.

Celebrations will be mixed with sadness during this year’s festivities, though. The holiday comes only about two months after the slaughter of 10 Black people in a Buffalo, N.Y., grocery store. It was just about two years ago that a white Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd. And the COVID-19 pandemic persists into its third summer.

The theme for Austin’s citywide Juneteenth celebration for the past few years has been “Stay Black and Live.” Festival organizers are staying with the theme this year.

Regine Malibiran is a co-project manager for Stay Black and Live, a joint effort between the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center in Austin and Six Square, Austin’s Black cultural district. She says the phrase is a call to action for everyone.

“Not only for Black people specifically to find joy, find things to celebrate, find things to work for,” Malibiran says, “but also a call to action for people outside of the Black community to recognize what it means for Black people to assert control over their lives.”

Are we really free.jpg

Malibiran says events like the mass shooting in Buffalo can make that control feel elusive, and it permeates the work of planning Juneteenth festivities and social justice work year-round.

“We recognize that in order to do this work, you have to carry a broken heart,” she says. “That’s kind of both the reason why you do it, but also one of the most challenging obstacles in the work itself.”

Malibiran says the declaration of Juneteenth as a federal holiday last year might be seen as removing one of the obstacles to doing that work. And while she acknowledges that declaration as a “win,” she says it could actually erode the importance of the holiday.

“What does it mean when holidays become so large and nationwide like this?” she says. She says she believes these holidays can “become commercialized and almost sanitized at times.”

Malibiran says many Black people may not be able to enjoy the holiday because “they might be the ones who are serving you or cooking for you at brunch when you take the day off on Monday.”

Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below to hear more about one of the central questions Malibiran wants everyone to contemplate: “What does it mean for marginalized communities to create space for themselves and carve out space to be alive?”

This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity:

KUT: The theme for Austin’s Juneteenth commemoration for the past few years has been “Stay Black and Live.” Is that the theme for this year’s celebration? Why?

Regine Malibiran: We wanted it to be a call to action to “stay Black and live” — not only for Black people specifically to find joy, find things to celebrate, find things to work for, but also a call to action for people outside of the Black community to recognize what it means for Black people to assert control over their lives, agency over [their] lives.

It’s still relevant in 2022. I think it will stay relevant for a while, especially as we reflect on what happened in Buffalo, N.Y., a very heavy thing to reflect on. What does it mean for marginalized communities to create space for themselves and carve out space to be alive?

There was a mass shooting in Buffalo. Ten Black people were killed. How has that impacted thinking about this year’s gathering and impacted everybody who’s involved?

I am very fortunate and lucky and honored to work with a largely Black staff in my capacity at Six Square and also at the Carver Museum. It’s hard to say this, Jennifer, but it comes to a point where I feel like day to day, people have to learn to compartmentalize it. And that’s sad. We as teams, we recognize that in order to do this work you have to carry a broken heart. That’s kind of both the reason why you do it, but also one of the most challenging obstacles in the work itself.

And so for us as a team, what’s important for us is that we use these events as motivation. We fuel this grief, this anger, this fear into action for our community.

And so with the Juneteenth festival specifically, I think because it is a celebration of freedom — that’s what it’s always been — it’s important to create that space where Black people can be around their own community. And we are able to experience all of these feelings, whether it be celebration, because that’s what the holiday is about, whether it be reflection on what has changed and what has not since 1865, and what fighting for Black lives looks like as we march forward.

Part of the monthlong commemoration of Juneteenth are videos streaming [at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport]. And you had indicated those were kind of a welcome to Black Austin. What is Black Austin these days? How do you describe Black Austin in 2022?

I really feel like it is within the connections that Black people make between themselves here and even outside of Austin. Black people in the United States have centuries-long history of displacement and disconnection. You would have enslaved people who would be separated from their children. And then if they had the opportunity with their freedom afterwards, they would go on these lifelong searches to find their family. That sort of deeply rooted interpersonal intercommunity connection is really still what ties Black people today.

It was right before Juneteenth last year that Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday. Does that matter or mean anything?

You know, it’s funny because my partner is Black and he was like, “It’s kind of weird that white people get Juneteenth off. It was like — why do white people get the day off from Juneteenth? That’s kind of strange to me.” And I think that’s an important conversation, because like I said, in order to do this work, you have to carry a broken heart and you have to celebrate the wins when you can get them.

And so some people, they consider this federal recognition of Juneteenth as a holiday, as a win. And I don’t want to take away from that.

But I think that we can also look at that with a critical lens because what does it mean when holidays become so large and nationwide like this? These sorts of holidays — they become commercialized and almost sanitized at times. And we’ve seen that in this past year with Juneteenth. People were joking about getting 19% off sales at certain companies or whatever.

And so while I do recognize that it’s a step forward for us to say Juneteenth is important, is significant enough to be a holiday, that standard of importance and significance is still weighed with a white supremacist lens. Because before it was a national holiday, it was important for Black Texans, and they had a specific and very meaningful perspective on why they celebrated it.

Most of the time when you get these federal holidays, who gets those days off? It’s people who work in offices. A lot of people of color, Black people, they might not be working in the office. They might be the ones who are serving you or cooking for you at brunch when you take the day off on Monday. We have to think about who benefits when nationally we have changes like this.