SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – From Illinois to Texas to Wisconsin to right here San Diego, Juneteenth is being celebrated.
“It always feels like a victory anytime something in our legacy that's so important to us as black folks uh comes about,” Christopher Burroughs, Founder & Executive Director of Garden 31, said.
“I feel that this year, now more than ever, especially it is important for us to celebrate and bring the community together to send a loud and clear message that freedom still exists,” Risa Bell, Founder & CEO of Paddle For Peace, said.
The celebrations of freedom and that sense of pride flowing across America as Juneteenth flags are raised across the United States.
But it also feels like there’s an undercurrent as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs are being heavily impacted across America.
“With the federal government making DEI a bad word, this is a direct attack on, you know, our history as African Americans. It's it's really undermining what Juneteenth is,” Bell said. “It's not just, you know, a day or a word, and I feel like, the community, the African American community is really feeling it as well as our allies and, San Diego community members.”
Having the community stick together can help lift every voice and rise above these challenges.
“Right now, it's just a good time for us to become compassionate, figure out where our power is, and then take advantage of it. Like in every challenge, there's an opportunity,” Burroughs said.
“And see how we can coexist and that's how we get it done. There's power in the people, there's power in our voice, but if we are divided and distracted, which is what this is designed to do. We're falling into the trap and we won't be able to get anything done,” Bell said.
