Celebrate Juneteenth with Benicia Black Lives Matter at its Inaugural Juneteenth Festival this Saturday

Benicia Black Lives Matter, email of June 18, 2021

Commemorate the Juneteenth holiday with Benicia Black Lives Matter (BBLM), friends, and neighbors this Saturday, June 19th, 2021!

BBLM’s Inaugural Juneteenth Festival, to be held at Benicia’s Historical Camel Barns from 11 am to 5 pm, promises Benicians and our friends from neighboring communities a day of entertainment, education, and fun for the entire family. With food trucks, shopping, live and DJ’ed music, kid’s activities, dancing, and presentations such as readings of the “Juneteenth Holiday Proclamation” by Mayor Steve Young and of “Resolution 20-103” by Dr. Maliika Chambers lined up, you won’t want to miss joining us on this very special day.

Juneteenth acknowledges and honors the end of slavery in the United States. Specifically, the holiday celebrates June 19th, 1865, the day on which federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to ensure the liberation of all enslaved individuals within the state.

Occurring two and a half years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, this significant date reminds us of the hard-won emancipation of enslaved Black and African American individuals across the country. As a holiday, Juneteenth presents an opportunity for the contemplation and celebration of the efforts we have made individually and collectively to combat systemic racism, secure liberation, and ensure the freedom of Black and African Americans, while also recognizing that the struggle is far from over.

After a year of pandemic life, it is safe to say that many of us are feeling cooped up. Fortunately, in light of vaccinations, restriction-lifting, and the advent of BBLM, a new opportunity for celebration, interaction, and education presents itself to Benicia, California. Now is the time to enjoy the summer weather, return to some level of normalcy, and celebrate a historically and culturally significant holiday. BBLM’s Juneteenth Festival promises an opportunity for community members to show up, commit to allyship, build friendships, have fun, and offer respect and appreciation for the Black and African American members in our community. Don’t miss out!