www.montereycountyweekly.com June 15-21, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 27 CULTURE For some, Juneteenth is a new holiday—the annual celebration of emancipation only became a federal holiday in 2021. But for Black Americans, it’s a celebration that began 158 years ago on June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas were freed, two-anda-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth celebrations started in Texas the following year. Charles Chambers, a long-time Salinas resident, says he didn’t grow up celebrating Juneteenth in West Virginia but learned about it when he moved to California—Juneteenth celebrations in Monterey County have happened regularly for at least two decades, he says. Now, there’s a new wave of energy behind organizing local Juneteenth festivities of all kinds— from music to food to movies. Chambers says he’s glad younger generations are bringing Juneteenth back into the spotlight. “I don’t think it’s been celebrated for quite a while here in Salinas,” Chambers notes. “Hopefully it will continue and get stronger and better every year.” Michael Ndubisi, a committee member of the Salinas Juneteenth Celebration Association, says to him, Juneteenth is “a celebration of Blackness.” Ndubisi says the first year of Salinas Juneteenth was an uphill battle to make arrangements and spread the word about a celebration many weren’t familiar with. Now in its third year, it’s gaining more recognition locally—Ndubisi says it’s both a celebration and an educational experience. Juneteenth is also an independence day—perhaps a more honest one than July 4, which first took place in the context of slavery. “When you celebrate liberty, and you celebrate life and liberty, all you’re saying is that you want to celebrate people having the right to be free,” Chambers says. Salinas Juneteenth 1-5pm Saturday, June 17. Hartnell College, 411 Central Ave., Salinas. Free. salinasjuneteenth. com. Juneteenth Monterey County 1-5pm Saturday, June 17. Laguna Grande Park, 1249 Canyon del Rey Blvd., Seaside. Free. instagram.com/juneteenth831. Juneteenth Coalition Sneaker Ball 4-6pm Saturday, June 17. Monterey Museum of Art - La Mirada, 720 Via Mirada, Monterey. $98. juneteenthcoalition.org. Juneteenth Film Festival various times through Sunday, June 18. Monterey History and Art at Stanton Center, 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey. $5-$40. bit.ly/ StantonCenterJuneteenthFilms. Juneteenth Coalition Scatter Feast Monday, June 19. Location to be announced, visit the website for more. $98. juneteenthcoalition.org. CELIA JIMENEZ Freedom For All Whether you mark it with a movie or a meal, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and Blackness. By Celia Jiménez Salinas Juneteenth in 2022 included African drumming and dance. This year’s celebration (and others) will again feature performance celebrating Black heritage. PRESENTED BY
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