Juneteenth Celebration 6.17

In June of 2022, Pathways Toward Peace and the Coonley Antiracism Group (CAG) hosted the first ever Juneteenth celebration in the North Center area. The event brought together families from both St. Benedict Parish and neighboring John C. Coonley Elementary School as well as the broader community to commemorate the holiday, which has been celebrated in African American culture since 1865 but did not become a federally recognized holiday in the United States until 2021. More than 150 people came together to experience and celebrate black culture and build community strength to confront systemic racism.

Following last year's event a St. Ben’s parishioner stated “I felt the joy of the occasion long into the night and day beyond…The event will live long in our minds and hearts, and cause us to prepare for the next celebration”.

Pathways Toward Peace and CAG are building on the success of that event and bringing it back again. The second annual event will take place on Saturday, June 17th from 11:00am - 2:00pm in the courtyard of St. Benedict Parish (3900 N Leavitt Street). The event serves multiple interconnected goals – 1. To share and celebrate black culture with the community at large; 2. To expand the ranks of volunteers engaged in antiracism work throughout the year; 3. To deepen the commitment of already-engaged volunteers by affirming the value of their work over the past year and creating buy-in for continuing that work together; and 4. TO HAVE FUN!  

 The event, open to the entire community, will feature entertainment, food, and a marketplace with vendors selling products and services. There will also be interactive activities including hair braiding, dance lessons, double dutch, horseback riding, sword play, yo-yo, and more! Highlighting Black-owned businesses and providing activities for all ages, this event is sure to be a fun afternoon for the whole family.