The city's Juneteenth celebration is drawing hundreds, if not thousands, of people, with the Northcott Neighborhood House serving as the heart of the festivities. The organization, which started in 1971, is hosting vendors, live music and the introduction of Miss and Mister Juneteenth.
Sherman Phoenix, a hub for Black-owned businesses, closed today in honor of the holiday, with many of its business owners and employees heading to the celebration.
Watch: Discussing the importance of Juneteenth with Bader Philanthropies:
Kamar Carter, owner of House of Vitali-Tea, said the day is about connection.
"For me it's about reconnecting, reconnecting with family, reconnecting with friends. It's about getting with the youth," Carter said.
Christine Smith, an employee at a Sherman Phoenix business, said the event offers something beyond the everyday.
"You know just to see the community out there and, you know, to expect the unexpected because we always see the normal day to day activity, the consistency in the community," Christine said.
For Jamila Riley, owner of J. Riley Studios, Juneteenth carries a message of freedom.
"What I mean in terms of freedom is just being free to celebrate who we are. You know what I mean? Free to come together, to hug and to embrace," Carter said.
Romeo McCants, executive director of Sherman Phoenix, described what the day means to him.
"For me, Juneteenth means freedom, resilience, uh, culture, community, togetherness, power, blackness," Romeo said.
Romeo's son Adrian McCants said the energy of the crowd is what draws him in.
"I love seeing people that look like me again, but also the energy different people bring to this event, to this space, and just coming together," Adrian said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
