The 3rd annual Juneteenth celebration, on Monday, June 19th, seemed to magically turn one of NYC’s busiest vehicular corridors into a vibrant live stage of beautiful original creations by an array of artists; this Juneteenth program offered something of interest to both young and old. Nostrand Avenue, between Jefferson to Putnam, was closed to traffic and packed with people rhythmically swaying to sweet sounds of R&B, African drumming, and conversations about reparations and jazz.
This Juneteenth 2023 celebration was co-produced by the Cooperative Culture Committee and Sistas’ Place Cultural Center, both long-serving Central Brooklyn organizations. The program opened with a libation presentation, to acknowledge the ancestors, by Sister Santina Payton. VIP guests were seen engaging event participants; and speakers included NYS Assembly Members Phara Souffrant (District 57) and Stefani Zinerman (District 56), and NYC Council Member Chi Ossé. At the same time, children enjoyed playing on a jumbo inflatable bouncy house, and bought story books from the authors, and the community watched as the highly sought after clothing fashion designer Brenda Brunson-Bey turned Nostrand Avenue into a runway with great models and fabulous outfits.
A consistent concern expressed by different speakers and event attendees was the urgent necessity of Black community residents being appointed to serve on New York City’s commission soon to be charged with “studying,” and drafting action steps to address reparations payment to people of African descent.
Providing hands-on STEM training to a couple of children assigned to conduct news coverage at the event, The Code Foundation, a not-for-profit youth organization, guided an eight-year-old boy in doing photography and videotaping. The archived assignment was capturing the excitement and the significance of the day.