Live music and a variety of delicious pot-luck dishes shared in a community setting are among offerings at the Juneteenth celebration in Grass Valley’s Condon Park. The annual family-friendly event, that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States, takes place Saturday, June 20 from 11:30 am to 2 pm.
Atum Islam, formerly Jamal Walker, sings blues and soul. A local favorite for over thirty years, he was lead singer for the popular band Elevation. Kaya, another local musician, performs as well.
Something added for this year is the acknowledgement of a member of the African American community who makes significant contributions to our area. KVMV broadcaster Jai Hanes is given this honor. Hanes is especially known for his work with youth in different capacities.
A tribute to victims of injustice and police violence takes place with the short but powerful music video Say Their Names by Donna Theresa. While honoring the lives lost, the performance helps us remember those African Americans who have been murdered so they are not simply reduced to statistics.
A number of agencies and organizations have booths, contributing to it being a true community event. Examples of participants include Sierra Nevada Children’s Services, Sierra College, NEO, Nevada County Behavioral Health, and the Nevada County Library.
When asked what Juneteenth means to her as an African American, facilitator Kristine Alcamo stated, “Juneteenth is a symbolic celebration for our freedom, for our families, for our coming together in joy as one family. Under slavery, we endured a constant shredding of basic rights such as just loving another person or even raising our children. Our bodies were forfeited to what another human, the slave owner, wanted or desired.”
Alcamo, referring to the local event, further noted, “We encourage all members of the community to come celebrate the work done for social justice and equity, the work yet to do, and how beautiful it is to simply share a moment of joy.”
Although the Grass Valley celebration started six years ago, Juneteenth is the oldest nationally recognized commemoration of slavery’s end in our country. It became a federal holiday with the establishment by congress of Juneteenth National Independence Day in 2021.
Local non-profits Color Me Human, Creating Communities Beyond Bias, and Earth Justice Ministries, are organizing the event. For more information visit www.colormehuman.org/events.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.theunion.com ’
