Alejandro Camacho, LETI's Community News Intern reflects on the Juneteenth Celebration.
Cedar Valley Community School in Lynnwood, hosted this year’s Juneteenth Celebration, with hundreds of community members attending.
Also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to tell the last enslaved African Americans in the Confederate South that they were free and no longer under bondage.
Photos include: Project Girl’s dance performance for the community of Lynnwood, Olympia Edwards of Project Girl,Members of Project Girl pose for a photo, Sno-Isle Libraries Pop Up Van, and Luna Mexican Grill with delicious menu options.
Juneteenth was sponsored by Project Girl, a mentoring program designed to foster the advancement of young women of color.
Juneteenth in Lynnwood had over 50 vendors, over 10 food trucks, live entertainment and a DJ.
“Last year we hosted Juneteenth and had over 1,000 people in the community join us for this special event, " said organizer Kirk Mathis. “We wanted to bring the celebrations of diversity to the city of Lynnwood”.
“Juneteenth should be celebrated like any other major holiday” said Kirk Mathis
Mountlake Terrace City Council member Steve Woodward challenged the community to spread love.
“We want to encourage our community members to engage and interact with other people they may not know”, said Mountlake Terrace City Council member Steve Woodward”. “It is important to be able to create a safe place where we can collaborate, grow and educate each other about how we want to change history.”
Lynnwood City Council member Josh Binda encourages people to research on the history of Juneteenth
“It’s important to understand why we celebrate Juneteenth,” said Lynnwood City Council member Josh Binda. “Take action and get educated on what it takes to evolve into the next generation of diversity inclusion.”
Lynnwood City Council member David Parshall said that “Supporting the community starts with you. “It’s important to understand the origins of Juneteenth, and recognize the freedom that was given”
During his keynote speech, Steve Woodard said it’s important for attendees “to challenge each other to be a better person, a better friend and a better ally.”
Families had the opportunity to interact with some of the vendors.
Members of the Lynnwood Police Department celebrate Juneteenth at Cedar Valley Community School.
Lynnwood Police Department members interact with the community.
A live band performance at Cedar Valley Community School during Juneteenth.
Supercar Driven supporting the community with a custom Lamborghini & Custom Pickachu Themed Toyota Supra
Kids celebrate Juneteenth with arts and crafts.
Attendees visit a vendor table.
During this internship I have the opportunity to share research with the community. One of the events is Juneteenth, which is also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day. Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas to tell the last enslaved African Americans in the Confederate South that they were free and no longer under bondage. In recognition of this, we celebrate Juneteenth just like every other major holiday.
It's important to celebrate diversity and most of all celebrate the perseverance it takes to continue creating positive change in the world. We must come together and create a community that values diversity and respects other cultures. Thank you to Kirk Mathis, who brought the Juneteenth Celebration to Cedar Valley Community School in Lynnwood, Washington for all of us to experience. There were food vendors, business vendors, and live entertainment for hundreds of community members to enjoy.
Juneteenth is such a powerful event because it continues to remind us how we should treat each other. I was able to walk around and capture photos and videos, as well as interview different guests. Growing up, I always dreamed about creating a change with stories, and at this event I realized we are creating history.
I was able to interview an incredible list of leaders during the Juneteenth celebration. These included Lynnwood City Council Members Josh Binda and David Parshall and Mountlake Terrace City Council Member Steve Woodward, along with Kirk Mathias, Olympia Edwards, and Mary Anderson. These names are important as these are individuals that are fighting for people's rights in our community every day. Some of the questions I had asked were, What advice would you give to anyone who is not aware of what Juneteenth is? How can people celebrate Juneteenth in their own communities? What advice would you give to the next generation? How can someone start being engaged today? How can people challenge themselves to learn from other cultures?
Josh Binda advises people to learn their history and encourages them to participate at events in their community. Kirk Mathis was able to introduce the community to Juneteenth celebrations, with over 1,000 community participants during its first year in 2023. David Parshall was a speaker at the event, but was willing to share more knowledge on what Juneteenth is and why it is celebrated as a holiday. I was also able to get a private interview with Olympia Edwards from Project Girl, who was the host of the Juneteenth event.
Project Girl as a mentoring program designed to foster the advancement of young women of color in the community. Members of Project Girl also did a dance performance in front of hundreds of community members. Another person I spoke with was Mary Anderson, after her presentation on the importance of voting in America. This interview was so powerful, because I was able to share with her my experience as an immigrant and not being eligible to vote as a dreamer. This is why it's important to share stories with others. Understanding how to vote, where to vote, and why it's important to vote are things every person should know. I was able to connect with Mary Anderson, and even invited her to do a live presentation with LETI Te Ve.
I was able to talk to keynote speaker and Mountlake Terrace City Council member Steve Woodward on the importance of challenging each other to engage and learn from different cultures in our community. In his speech he mentioned, “We can’t change the past, but we can change the future.” This is so powerful because our actions determine the life we create. We must spread words of encouragement and love, to be able to educate and uplift others, away from racism and discrimination. Juneteenth is Freedom Day, and it is a day to celebrate diversity in the community. It allows us to reflect on the history we have gone through, and allows us to learn from our mistakes. Juneteenth represents a day for sharing love, compassion, diversity, and unity.
The Latino Education Training Institute is a great place to not just learn about the resources that are available to you in your community. It is a place that truly motivates and inspires people to give back to their communities. I was able to attend the Latino Leadership Initiative, and now I am able to document this journey learning and engaging in the community with this internship.
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