Juneteenth. A time for reflection, meditating on the future, and celebration. We did exactly that during our June Meetup. DJ Oluwafemi kicked off the night by giving us a taste of the specially curated playlist he made for our first ever dance party. Then we jumped right into the core purpose of our gathering: sharing our history and connecting with each other.
Our hosts Lili Stiefel and Ariel Bastida reminded us to sit in reverence for both the women that birthed us and the land we live on. With our moment of silence, we honored the lives of people who are typically left out of the narrative for Juneteenth, and we dedicated this moment to the lives, work, and liberation of Black trans folx.
We chose to send this month’s donations to The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), which has a perfect score from Charity Navigator. EJI is the creator of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved Black people.
We reiterated the Community Guidelines to create a safe space and to facilitate conversation where everyone can grow and feel seen and heard.
Lili reminded us to take deep breaths and rest, because of the heavy conversations about slavery. Check out this thread by The Creative Collective NYC to read more about why you deserve Juneteenth as a holiday from work.
Our Juneteenth discussion was kicked off by Dr. Kendra McCray, Associate Professor of History at Atlanta Metropolitan State College. Dr. McCray shared important tenets of Juneteenth with us, and she invited us to meditate on them while she explained each of them: Recap
Dr. McCray closed her lesson by reminding us to check in with ourselves and reflect on the following question:
“What does freedom mean to you?”
Author and historian Ricky Prestige Leverett Jr. followed and focused our attention toward the enslavement of the mind. He shared this excellent resource on Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome.
Cris Eli Blak, an award-winning storyteller and playwright, moved some community members to tears when he shared the heartbreaking story behind the inspiration for his monologue Rabbits and Foxes.
The speaker portion of the evening wrapped up with medical anthropologist Carolina Nvé Díaz San Francisco, sharing her journey in fully embracing her Black identity. An intimate look at her role as a Black anthropologist in the diaspora can be found here.
Our community regularly impresses us with their talent and vulnerability in our space; this Meetup was no exception. Musician and Veteran Darius Lemelle explained the interrelated reasons for leaving both the military and the Democratic Party.
Lili’s uncle and poet, Lawrence Walker, read his piece, Living Like Flowers. Afterwards, we carefully changed the vibe from introspection to joy, kicking off our dance party with Femi.
“The only person that can truly free you is yourself.” -Ricky Prestige Leverett
Enjoy an hour of Femi’s joyous mix in celebration of you.
Juneteenth Wishes and Reminders From Our Community Whiteboard:
No one can tell your story but you.
Freedom is fragile.
Aim for solidarity.
Stand together.
You are enough, and you are worthy.
Annoy people until they give you space.
Stand for what you believe with community.
Trust your struggle.
Black is beautiful.
Defy the odds..
Sharing your story is liberation, love is liberation.
Going to freedom.
The New Africa.
We are ancestors to the future generation.
Help those who align with my beliefs get into office.
Chat Recap:
The June Meetup was an amazing mix of education and celebration. If you were too busy dancing to Oluwafemi’s set, no worries. All the resources shared are listed below.
Dr. McCray’s Juneteenth Syllabus
https://kenjamccray.com/teaching/
Dr. Kenja McCray, PhD, shared this article about The Republic of New Africa, a self-determinist Black nationalist group who argued that Black people were colonized and remain colonized to this day:
“Free the Land!”: Fifty Years of the Republic of New Africa
Our very own CEO Lili Stiefel shared this important speech by Ivan Van Sertima:
Ivan Van Sertima – They Came Before Columbus
Dr. Kenja McCray, PhD, shared this article about the introduction of the theory of communalism by Black Panther Party’s co-founder, Huey P. Newton:
Huey P. Newton – Intercommunalism in 1974
Dr. McCray also generously shared her research on the Oyotunji Village, the first known Black nationalist settlement developed by Orisha worshippers.
Kenja Mcray – Oyotunji Village, 1970 – Today
