Learn About Our Juneteenth Event in Atlanta
Juneteenth represents both the triumphs of the past, and reminds us to stay vigilant in our current struggles.
On Saturday, June 17th SisterLove will commemorate the Juneteenth holiday with a celebration at Eastside Park on Niles Street in LaGrange, GA from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., where we will distribute our Healthy Love free HIV self-test kits, information about access to PrEP, free food and games, and more.
A $500 scholarship will be granted to one recipient
The Legacy of Juneteenth
Juneteenth, also called Freedom Day, is an important event in American history.
It celebrates June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and declared that the Civil War was over and slavery was illegal. This was two and a half years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which made slavery illegal in Confederate-held territories.
Many slave owners resisted the change and denied freedom to their former slaves by simply withholding the news that they were now free people. Juneteenth marks the day when the last enslaved person learned they were free.
While some on that day tasted real freedom for the first time, the struggle for equality extends beyond the chains of slavery.
The Struggle Continues
One of the most pressing legacies of institutional racism that continues today is the deadly imbalance in health equity, particularly for Black women. Health equity refers to the attainment of the highest level of health for all people, regardless of their race, gender, or socioeconomic status.
For Black women, achieving health equity has been a continued struggle due to systemic racism, socioeconomic disparities, and healthcare biases.
Recent research has highlighted the stark disparities in health outcomes for Black women. For instance, Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This dark fact is not just a health issue, but a social justice issue that deserves attention and decisive action. And that was the approach we took when deciding to partner with Lashieka Ferrell, the event planner of this year's celebration.
A Celebration of Freedom
Our Juneteenth event in Atlanta will see local community leaders, entertainers, and vendors come together to bring value to the community. Atlanta-based dancers, singers, a poet, and a DJ will provide music from our culture. They will also give a $500 scholarship, and they plan to give more in the future. It was hard to choose just one person because many qualified people were involved in the community.
Ferrell said that everyone in the community helped pay for the event. They raised donations, vendor commitments, and in-kind donations like the stage. 40 community vendors join us this year, which represents exponential growth from the nine they had last year. Most of the vendors are from the Troup County area.
Ferrell wants the event to bring the community together. "We need to work together, and I want to bring that community spirit back into our neighborhood," she said.
If you’re in Atlanta, join us as we celebrate the freedom from bondage and the strength of our ancestors on Juneteenth!