Juneteenth celebrations kick off in Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - A weekend of Juneteenth celebrations is kicking off in Palm Springs, hosted by the Palm Springs Black History Committee.

The holiday celebrates independence day for African Americans from slavery.

Juneteenth Freedom Weekend began Thursday evening at Villagefest in Downtown Palm Springs and continues through Saturday with a youth pageant at the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Center.

Friday at 5 p.m., the Juneteenth Unity Picnic welcomes residents to Downtown Park for a lineup of educational, cultural, and community engagement experiences. The event will also feature food vendors and live entertainment.

Organizers say it's been a way to unite the community and educate the public on the true meaning of Juneteenth.

"It's important to keep educating not only our community, but everybody. Black history, we usually stick everything into one month, but our our mission is to celebrate Black history throughout the whole year," Brian Jackson, Juneteenth coordinator with the committee said.

For many like Andrea Terry, the history has been passed down generations.

"Well, my mother is from Texas. Being a product of both her father being white, her mother being black, she had so much ties to slavery. She wanted us to know the importance and the significance of this day," Terry said.

At Sweet Ashley's, a homemade desert business, owner Ashley Johnson says Juneteenth gives her a chance to showcase her culture.

"It gives us space to be ourselves and give us a space to do recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. Like the peach cobbler that's been in our family since I was a kid," Johnson said.

Terry says the day is a reminder that freedom is still a work in progress for some.

"This day and age, we're fighting the administration. We're fighting for people who are running from ICE. We are fighting for all of humanity, not just one race," Terry said.

For more information on Freedom Weekend, visit: https://palmspringsblackhistory.org/juneteenth-weekend.