[Press Conference: "Juneteenth Houston 2024"]
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UH, IT'S AMAZING WHAT WE CAN GET DONE WHEN WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
AND IN THAT VEIN, UH, THE OCCASION IS TO BRING RECOGNITION TO JUNETEENTH.
CERTAINLY NOT A NEW TOPIC TO MOST OF US, BUT WE GOTTA QUIT TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND TALK TO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT PEOPLE DO NOT REWRITE HISTORY, BECAUSE THERE ARE ELEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WOULD SAY, WHAT ARE WE CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH FOR? WELL, I'VE BEEN CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH FOR 52 YEARS AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL IN THE COMMUNITY WITH SYLVESTER TURNER AND SHEPHERD.
I COULD GO, I KNOW WHERE I'M GONNA BE ON JUNETEENTH.
IT'S GONNA BE AN ACRES HOME SOMETIME WHEN WE'RE SO HOT ON JUNETEENTH.
I SAID, MAN, I WISH, I WISH A NOTICE WOULD'VE GOT TO THE SLAVES IN MAYBE NOVEMBER OR EARLY SPRING.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS DELAYED.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CALLING ATTENTION TO.
AND I HAVE TWO OUTSTANDING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ, AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD BE HERE, BUT THEY'RE IN COMMITTEE.
I HAVE A GREAT COALITION BEHIND ME, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT JUST SHOULD BRING US TOGETHER.
I, AS A YOUNG STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN 1980, VOTED FOR JUNETEENTH TO BECOME A STATE HOLIDAY, NOT A NEW TOPIC OR CONCERN OF MINE, AND NOT A NEW CELEBRATION OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS DAY.
AND THEN LAST SESSION, YOU KNOW, WHERE I WAS A YEAR AGO, ABOUT THE SAME TIME ON THE SENATE FLOOR, HONORING GRANDMA OPAL LEE, WHAT A PRIVILEGE AND HONOR IT WAS TO VOTE PLACE HER PICTURE IN THE SENATE CHAMBER.
AND SHE'S ONLY GONE ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE PRESIDENT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DESERVE RECOGNITION TO COLLABORATION THAT IS EXHIBITED HERE THIS MORNING IS WHAT MAKES HOUSTON GREAT.
I COULD BE AT A HUNDRED PLACES THIS MORNING AS YOUR MAYOR, BUT THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO BE.
IT'S WHERE I NEED TO BE AND I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE ANYTIME SOON BECAUSE I WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM THIS MORNING.
SO I THINK, UH, HOPEFULLY MY, MY EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT, CERTAINLY MY PLANS FOR JUNETEENTH PERSONALLY TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE NEED TO QUIT TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND START TALKING TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES ACROSS HOUSTON.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BRING US TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE HUMAN RIGHTS AND, UH, MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE SUFFERING AND, AND, AND EVERYTHING THAT TOOK PLACE, DARK DAYS.
BUT LORD KNOWS WE'VE GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO.
'CAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT JOIN US IN CELEBRATING AND RECOGNIZING HISTORY.
SO LET ME, UH, LET YIELD TO OUR COORDINATOR.
THANK YOU, JOHN, FOR THE JOB YOU'RE DOING.
THE MAYOR STANDS READY TO HELP YOU ANYWAY.
CERTAINLY OUR CULTURAL AFFAIRS OFFICE.
NICOLE, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
SO THIS IS JUST A GREAT DAY TO BE IN HOUSTON BECAUSE WE GET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHY WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT CITY AND GREAT PEOPLE, AND LET'S GO TO WORK.
UH, WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN SEVEN HISTORIC BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS REACH ACROSS THE ROADS AND THE HIGHWAYS OF THE FOURTH LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE US? YOU GET JUBILATION, YOU GET HERITAGE, YOU GET TRADITION, YOU GET LEGACY.
AND WE CALL IT JUNETEENTH HOUSTON IN 2022 THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS AND ACTIONS OF THIRD WARD, FOURTH WARD, FIFTH WARD, INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, A ACRES HOMES, SUNNYSIDE AND SOUTH PARK.
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CITYWIDE COLLABORATIVE WAS BIRTHED FOLLOWING AN ENDORSEMENT BY COMMUNITY ASSETS, INSTITUTIONS, RESIDENTS, AND FORMER MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.AND NOW OUR NEW CURRENT MAYOR, MAYOR WHITMEYER JUNETEENTH HOUSTON HAS GROWN INTO AN INTERACTIVE PLATFORM TO FIND ALL THINGS JUNETEENTH IN THE CITY.
HISTORIC TOURS THAT ARE AS ENTERTAINING AS THEY ARE EDUCATIONAL, AND A ONE OF A KIND CELEBRATION THAT CENTERS THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE OF JUNETEENTH CALLED CELEBRATE FREEDOM.
THE JUNETEENTH HOUSTON CITYWIDE COLLABORATIVE WAS INSPIRED AS A RESPONSE TO THE COMMUNITY OF STAKEHOLDERS, NEIGHBORS, FAMILIES, AND PIONEERS WHO ASKED, WHO WILL ENSURE OUR SPACE.
ONCE THE OLDEST BLACK HOLIDAY IN HOUSTON BECOMES NATIONAL JUNETEENTH HOUSTON SERVES AS A MODEL TO ALL JUNETEENTH PLANNING AND EVENTS IN THE CITY AND ABROAD.
IT'S A BEACON AND A BRIDGE ENSURING THE COMMUNITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THE HISTORY OF JUNETEENTH REMAIN A PART OF ITS LEGACY.
CELEBRATE FREEDOM IS A JUBILATION THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE JOY AND CREATIVITY OF BLACKNESS THROUGH AN OPENING CEREMONY THAT SERVES AS THE KICKOFF FOR ALL THINGS JUNETEENTH IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
FROM DRUMMING CIRCLES AND VENDOR MARKETS TO NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVATIONS AND PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS, CELEBRATE FREEDOM SUPPORTS THE VASTNESS IN BLACK BRILLIANCE AND PAYS HOMAGE TO THE LEGACY OF THE FOUNDATION OF JUNETEENTH WHILE ENSURING ITS ACCESS TO ALL.
AND SO THIS YEAR, AS WE PAY HOMAGE TO OUR HERITAGE, AS WE SHARE OUR SACRED TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD, AS WE CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF THE OLDEST BLACK HOLIDAY IN HOUSTON AT THE OLDEST PARK IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE INVITE EVERYONE TO COME OUT TO THE COOKOUT.
JUNETEENTH IS COMING AND WE GOT Y'ALL
I AM THE ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE HOUSTON FREEDMAN'S TOWN CONSERVANCY, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING AND PRESERVING AND CELEBRATING THE RICH CULTURAL HISTORY OF FREEDMAN'S TOWN THROUGH EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.
SHORTLY AFTER JUNE 19TH, 1865, THE CHILD OF JUNETEENTH FREEDMAN'S TOWN WAS BORN AND SETTLED ALONG THE BUFFALO, UH, ALONG THE BANKS OF BUFFALO BAYOU.
AFTER GENERAL GORDON GRANGER AND HIS TROOPS ARRIVED IN GALVESTON, TEXAS AND READ THE GENERAL ORDER.
NUMBER THREE, APPROXIMATELY 1000 FREE PEOPLE UNWELCOME IN POST CIVIL WAR.
HOUSTON MIGRATED HERE AND ESTABLISHED FREEDMAN'S TOWN, AND WHAT WE KNEW AT THAT TIME WAS FOURTH WARD HOUSTON.
FREEMAN'S TOWN WAS HOME OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOR THE LAST ENSLAVED PEOPLE EAGER TO BEGIN NEW LIVES IN A NEW PLACE AS FREE PEOPLE.
THESE MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM SURROUNDING RURAL AREAS JOURNEYED TO HOUSTON AND BEGAN CREATING COMMUNITY.
THEY CONSTRUCTED HOMES, SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, CHURCHES AND THEIR LIVES.
THEY BUILT THE PLACE WE NOW KNOW AS FREEMAN'S TOWN, A WORLD IN WHICH AFRICAN AMERICANS COULD PROSPER AND THRIVE AND THRIVE.
THEY DID IN 1870, THE FIRST STORE, THE FIRST TWO STORY HOME IN BLACK HOUSTON, WAS BUILT IN FREEMAN'S TOWN BY REVEREND JACK YATES, WHO SERVED AS THE FIRST PASTOR OF THE ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
HE ALSO ESTABLISHED HOUSTON ACADEMY, THE CITY'S FIRST SCHOOL FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN.
ASIDE FROM REVEREND YATES, FREEMANS TOWN PRODUCED MANY NOTABLE HOUSTONIANS, INCLUDING BLACK PHYSICIANS, TEACHERS, MINISTERS, JAZZ MUSICIANS, BUSINESSMEN, AND WOMEN AND ATTORNEYS AS WELL, SUCH AS JAY VANCE LEWIS, NED PULLUM, EMMETT J SCOTT, EMMETT J SCOTT, AUTHOR, AND PER AND PERSONAL SECRETARY TO BOOKER T WASHINGTON AND ELECTED SECRETARY OF NATIONAL NEGRO BUSINESS LEAGUE IN 1901, WAS BORN AND REARED IN FREEDMAN'S TOWN.
BY 1880, FREEMAN'S TOWN WAS HOME TO 95% OF BLACK HOUSTON MARKING A SUBSTANTIAL BLACK MIDDLE CLASS.
BY THE 1930S, IT HAD PRODUCED OVER 400 BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE MOTHER WARD.
FREEMAN'S TOWN IS A LIVING TESTAMENT TO THE PERSEVERANCE AND RESILIENCE OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
FREEMAN'S TOWN SERVES AS A BEACON TO THE WORLD, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE BOUNTY REAPED BY FREEDOM IN ALL ITS FORMS. THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF GENERAL ORDER THREE ON JUNE 19TH, 1865 MARKED THE EMERGENCE OF JUNETEENTH, A DAY THAT COMMEMORATES THE END OF SLAVERY, BUT ALSO TO CELEBRATE FREEDOM.
JUNETEENTH IS HIS, IS A HISTORICAL MILESTONE THAT HONORS THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM AND EQUALITY.
IT IS A DAY FOR REFLECTION ON THE HARDSHIPS ENDURED BY ENSLAVED PEOPLE.
HOWEVER, IT IS A CELEBRATION OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY.
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JUNETEENTH, THE DAY OF EMANCIPATION IS NOW RECOGNIZED AS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY.THIS DAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE OTHERS ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JUNETEENTH, CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE SOCIETY, HONOR THE LEGACY OF THOSE ANCESTORS WHO CAME BEFORE US AND CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH AS AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.
SO WE HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WILL JOIN US ON JUNE 1ST.
I HAIL FROM THE, UH, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD OF INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS.
I AM SO HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING JOINING OUR SENIOR MAYOR AS WELL AS COUNCILMAN WHO HAVE JOINED US AND THIS TEAM THAT WE HAVE HERE.
AS JOHN HAS SAID, WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, SINCE 20, UH, TWO YEARS AGO WHERE WE FORMED THIS TEAM.
AND IT'S BEEN A JOY TO BE ABLE TO SIT AMONGST THESE SEVEN NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE, UH, TO MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN.
TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY, TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF OUR CONGRESSWOMAN AND THE OTHERS IN THE STATE HAS BEEN A JOY AND BEEN FOR US TO DO THIS WORK TOGETHER THIS MORNING.
I JUST WANNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT.
A LOT OF TIMES WE TALK ABOUT THOSE SEVEN HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I WANNA TALK ABOUT WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE THE HERITAGE OF JUNETEENTH.
IF WE DON'T PROTECT OUR HISTORY, IF WE DON'T SHARE OUR HISTORY, NOBODY ELSE WILL.
AS THE MAYOR SAID THIS MORNING, THERE'S A FACTION THAT GOES AROUND THAT TRIES TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE.
WE HAVE TO KEEP PUTTING THE TRUTH OUT THERE AND THE FACTS OF WHAT IT IS AND WHAT HAPPENED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW THE TRUTH.
JUNETEENTH, A COUPLE OF THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT JUNETEENTH.
FIRST, GALVESTON IS THE FIRST PLACE OF JUNETEENTH.
WE CANNOT FORGET THE WORK OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE AL EDWARDS, WHO GOT TEXAS TO BE THE HOLIDAY FOR JUNETEENTH.
AND THEN FAST FORWARD, WHERE CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO BECOME A NATIONAL HOLIDAY, AND NOW SHE'S WORKING ON AN EMANCIPATION TRAIL.
AND THAT TRAIL WILL TELL THE STORIES OF JUNETEENTH, OF FREEDOM, OF EMANCIPATION, OF ALL OF THESE TOWNS THAT WERE BUILT ALONG THIS TRAIL.
AND PEOPLE CAN GO TO THESE PLACES LIKE FREEMAN'S TOWN, LIKE THE WARDS, MANY OF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT GREEN POND, THAT IS HOME OF NAZARENE BAPTIST CHURCH, AS WELL AS COLLEGE PARK MEMORIAL CEMETERY CHENEY, WHERE OLIVE WOODS CEMETERY IS.
DAMASCUS CHURCH, BROWN CHAPEL, LET'S NOT FORGET OLD HARRISBURG.
THAT WAS THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS HERE IN THE HARRIS COUNTY AREA.
AND THEN WE DON'T WANT TO FORGET THE OUTLYING PLACES LIKE PIERCE JUNCTION TO OUR SOUTH, WE HAVE BAIRD STATION AND MCNAIR TO OUR EAST, WE HAVE BORDERS VIEW TO OUR NORTH.
AND THEN WHEN YOU GO OUT SOUTH, YOU'VE GOT CARDALE, YOU'VE GOT MCGEE CHAPEL, BLACK PEOPLE SETTLED IN THESE PLACES, BUILT WHOLE TOWNS, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, BUSINESSES.
WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET WHAT THE ANCESTORS DID.
JUNE IS ABOUT ALL OF THOSE PLACES, INCLUDING INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS, WHERE I CAME, MY FAMILY CAME IN 1924 FROM FREEDMAN'S TOWN, FROM GREENS FUND, AND SETTLED IN INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS WHEN IT WAS AN INDEPENDENT CITY FROM 1915 TO 1929.
AND SO AS A PROUD DESCENDANT OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO, WHO, WHO SETTLED HERE IN THE HOUSTON AREA, AND FOR ALL OF THE DESCENDANTS OF THE ANCESTORS WHO CAME HERE EARLY IN 1865 AND SETTLED THIS MONTH OF JUNE IS FOR THEM.
THE DAY OF JUNETEENTH IS FOR THEM.
AND WE ALL SHOULD GET TOGETHER NO MATTER WHAT YOUR ETHNICITY, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR RELIGION IS, TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH.
AND SO JOIN US ON JUNE 1ST FOR THIS KICKOFF AND FIND OUT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND THE CITY AND AROUND THE COUNTY TO GET ENGAGED IN.
TAKE YOUR CHILDREN, TAKE YOUR FAMILIES.
THIS IS EVERYONE'S HOLIDAY AND IT IS NATIONAL.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF ARTS AND CULTURE FOR THE FIFTH WARD CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT, WHICH IS MANAGED BY THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
SO I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE OF FIFTH WARD FOR ALLOWING ME THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH THEM AND MANAGING THE HISTORIC DELUXE THEATER ON LYONS AVENUE.
WE ARE EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY PROUD AND EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS COLLABORATION.
I AM ALSO FROM LAMAR, TEXAS, WHICH IS IN GALVIN, GALVESTON COUNTY.
SO I GREW UP CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD AND KNOWING THE TRUTH ABOUT JUNETEENTH MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD.
SO I WANNA THANK MY COMMUNITY FOR PLANTING THOSE SEEDS OF KNOWING THE TRUTH AND PROTECTING OUR HISTORY.
UM, I THINK WHEN WE CELEBRATE HISTORICAL EVENTS LIKE THIS, I THINK WHERE YOU START THE STORY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK IF WE START THE STORY OF WHEN JUNETEENTH WAS RECOGNIZED POLITICALLY, WE MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE PEOPLE AND THE HUMANITY.
SO WE CANNOT START THE STORY JUST WHEN WE STARTED TO GET RESOLUTIONS AND WHEN POLITICIANS STARTED TO PLAY A PART.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE LIVES THAT
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LED UP TO THAT, AND THAT LEADS US TO HUMANITY.AND SO WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS JUNE 1ST EVENT IS WE ARE NOT CELEBRATING SIMPLY RESILIENCE, BECAUSE CELEBRATING FREEDOM OFTEN LANDS ON RESILIENCE.
ANYTIME WE'RE CELEBRATING RESILIENCE, IT'S ATTACHED TO A FIGHT.
IT'S ATTACHED TO SOMETHING THAT WE OVERCAME, WHICH MEANS OUR CELEBRATION IS FULL OF WOUNDS AND SCARS.
THIS IS CELEBRATING THE HUMANITY OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO COME TOGETHER, UNITY AND HOW TO BE COLLABORATIVE.
I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE SEVEN DISTRICTS, SOME, THE SEVEN COMMUNITIES THAT CAME TOGETHER, OFTENTIMES OUR COMMUNITY PRIDE MAKES US STAY IN SILOS.
IT'S VERY HARD TO COME OUT OF FIFTH WARD AND TO PLAY IN THIRD WARD SOMETIMES JUST BECAUSE WE ARE SO PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
THIS EVENT IS GIVING YOU PERMISSION TO COME OUT OF THAT SILOS AND TO JOIN A BIGGER COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ALWAYS SIT BACK AND SAY, UH, IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, SOMEBODY OUGHT TO BRING US TOGETHER.
SOME SOMEBODY OUGHT TO BRING US TOGETHER.
AND MY GRANDMA USED TO SAY, IF YOU SAY SOMEBODY OUGHTTA ONE MORE TIME, THE OTTA IS YOU AND YOU OUGHTA.
SO SOMEBODY CAME TOGETHER AND SAID, LET'S WORK TOGETHER.
SO I'M SUPER, SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS EVENT.
IT'S ALLOWING US TO ACTIVATE OUR VILLAGE RESPONSIBILITY TO EACH OTHER.
SO I HAVE THE AWESOME PLEASURE OF WORKING ON THE PROGRAMMING FOR THE DAY WITH MY PARTNER IN PROGRAMS, THE ERICA THOMPSON FROM THE GREGORY SCHOOL.
AND SO WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT ON THIS DAY IS ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES HAVE A TENT, AND IT'S, IT'S KNOWN AS THE VILLAGES WHERE THEY GET TO REPRESENT WHO THEY ARE AS A COMMUNITY.
SO YOU GET TO SEE ALL OF THESE SEVEN COMMUNITIES NEXT TO EACH OTHER, HAND IN HAND, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.
ALSO, THERE'S A PROGRAM WHERE EACH COMMUNITY GETS TO PERFORM WHATEVER THEY WANNA PERFORM, WHATEVER BEST REPRESENTS THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVE THE VILLAGES, YOU'LL SEE, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE PERFORMANCES ALONGSIDE THAT, WE'LL HAVE OTHER PERFORMANCES, VENDORS, FOOD, TRUCKS, GAMES, ART ACTIVATIONS.
IT'S THE DAY YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS.
BUT THE POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT WE PLANT THIS EARLY IN JUNE AS A SACRED OPENING CEREMONY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT EVERYBODY CELEBRATES JUNETEENTH IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITIES.
AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE.
SO TO NOT DO THAT, WE DID THIS EARLY TO OPEN UP THE SEASON OF JUNETEENTH AND TO REALLY GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO COME INTO ONE PLACE.
AND WHAT BETTER PLACE THAN EMANCIPATION PARK TO DO THAT, RIGHT? SO CELEBRATE THE SPIRIT OF UNITY, THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION WITH YOU.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE STORY OF JUNETEENTH.
IF WE START THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING, THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF JUNETEENTH.
UM, AND I JUST LEAVE YOU BY SAYING THIS IS ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF CONNECTION AND COMING TOGETHER.
I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE COME TOGETHER, IT GIVES US ENERGY TO GO BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND SERVES.
IT GIVES US AND LIGHTS OUR LIGHT THAT WE NEED TO CARRY, AND IT GIVES US THE BREATH TO JUST LIVE ANOTHER DAY.
SO PLEASE JOIN US ON JUNE 1ST, GET YOUR LIGHT LIT AND GET THAT BREATH YOU NEED TO LIVE.
AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU.
I AM JENNIFER SPRIGGS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT EMANCIPATION PARK CONSERVANCY.
UM, AND IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I AM BEFORE YOU, UM, TODAY, UM, WITH THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, AND AS, UM, WE'VE HEARD MANY, MANY TIMES, ISN'T IT GREAT WHAT WE CAN ALL DO TOGETHER? NO ONE IS TRYING TO TAKE THE STAGE.
WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO PRESENT THIS EVENT TO YOU ON JUNE THE FIRST.
UM, AND AS I STATED, EMANCIPATION PARK CONSERVANCY, UM, IS HOUSED AT THE HISTORIC EMANCIPATION PARK IN THIRD WARD.
UM, IT HOLDS GREAT HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND IT HOLDS MUCH PRIDE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
UM, EMANCIPATION PARK IS THE OLDEST PARK IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
IT STANDS AS, AS A TESTAMENT TO THE RESILIENCE AND THE STRENGTH OF THE NEWLY FREED PEOPLE WHO FOUNDED IT.
AND IF I CAN TAKE, UH, A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, UM, MY MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY IS ON JUNETEENTH, SO IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STAPLE IN OUR FAMILY.
AND IT WAS NOT JUST, OH, IT'S YOUR MOM'S BIRTHDAY, IT WAS, SHE'S THE JUNETEENTH BABY.
SO IF THAT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT MY UPBRINGING AND MY FAMILY, NOTHING ELSE WILL.
SO THE HISTORY OF JUNE OF EMANCIPATION PARK DATES BACK TO 1872.
SO OVER 150 YEARS, UM, THIS PARK HAS BEEN, UH, HERE A STAPLE IN HOUSTON.
UM, FOUR IN PARTICULAR, NEWLY EMANCIPATED, UM, BLACK PERSONS, UH, CAME TOGETHER TO PURCHASE THE LAND, UM, IN ORDER TO CELEBRATE THE FREEDOM AND TO BUILD COMMUNITY.
AS WE KNOW, THIS WAS ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES, UM, THAT WAS A SAFE HAVEN HAVEN FOR THEM TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER, UM, AND BE, UM, IN COMMUNITY WITH ONE ANOTHER.
WE WERE STILL GOING THROUGH STRUGGLES, EVEN THOUGH, UM, WE HAD BEEN PRONOUNCED FREE.
UM, THE DETERMINATION AND UNITY LAID THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WOULD BECOME THE SYMBOL OF HOPE.
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AND PROUD TO BE THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT LEGACY.UM, EMANCIPATION PARK IS NOT ONLY STEEPED IN HISTORY, BUT FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT AND JOY AS THOSE WHO, UM, COME TO HOUSTON WANT TO SEE HISTORY, UH, THEY WANT TO PUT THEIR FEET ON SACRED GROUND.
UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, PLEASE COME.
IT'S, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK EVERY DAY.
UM, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH NOT ONLY THE REST OF HOUSTON, NOT ONLY THE REST OF TEXAS, BUT THE NATION.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE PARK HAS, UM, BEEN A HOST OF COLLABORATIVE PARTICIPANTS FOR JUNETEENTH CITYWIDE INITIATIVE.
AS WE SAID TODAY, UM, THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
AND WE ARE HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY TO BE THE PLACE THAT IS HOSTING THIS EVENT THIS YEAR.
AND AGAIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE ON JUNE THE FIRST TO CELEBRATE FREEDOM.
REVEREND DAVIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, JUST BRIEFLY.
I'M NOT GONNA DENY A PASTOR, THE CITY COUNCIL, AND, AND BEFORE I YE UH, THE SHOUT OUT FOR OUR EDWARDS IS SO APPROPRIATE.
I'VE WATCHED HIM ON THE HOUSE FLOOR AS A COLLEAGUE MAKE CERTAIN THAT AUSTIN AND LEGISLATORS FROM AROUND THE STATE KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, JUNETEENTH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY TO ALL OF US GATHERED, I'M SO GRATEFUL TO STAND WITH MY GOOD FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WAKI MARTINEZ, AND THE CELEBRATION BECAUSE, UH, THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT JUNETEENTH IS ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT THE MAYOR WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
AND, UH, AND OF COURSE, ME BEING A NATIVE HOUSTONIAN BORN AND RAISED IN THIRD WARD, TEXAS, I'M PROUD OF, UH, THE, THE, AS WE CALL IT, THE TRAY.
AND, UH, THIS CELEBRATION MEANS SO MUCH TO ME, EVEN THOUGH BORN IN HOUSTON, MY FAMILY WAS FROM NAVASOTA, TEXAS.
AND EVERY YEAR WHEN JUNETEENTH CAME, WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE, YOU KNOW, REBECCA, WE WOULD ALL GATHER TOGETHER AND WE'D GO DOWN TO WHAT WE CALL THE COUNTRY, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WENT TO CELEBRATE.
AND, UH, NOTHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE WATERMELON AND THE BARBECUE, THE WHOLE NINE.
SO THIS IS A JUST A WONDERFUL TIME, AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK OUR MAYOR AS OTHER MAYORS WHO HAVE, WHO TAKE THE HONOR IN CELEBRATING THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
I WILL BE THERE IN EMANCIPATION PARK WHERE I FIRST LEARNED HOW TO SWIM, UH, MANY YEARS AGO.
AND I'LL BE THERE WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN.
SO WE THANK GOD AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND ALL THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
YOU REPRESENT A PROUD COMMUNITY AND BEEN REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES.
UM, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT'S HERE.
AND, UM, THERE'S A SHOUT OUT TO HARRISBURG SMITH EDITION.
UH, SO DEFINITELY WANNA RECOGNIZE THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
CLINTON PARK AS WELL, ANDOVER, SOUTH V, FAIRLINE, AND DISTRICT.
I, UM, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, AS, AS EVERYONE HERE, UM, HAS BEEN MENTIONING THAT WE HELP BRING THAT COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
UM, I, I, AS, AS A LATINO COUNCIL MEMBER, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT, THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE DONE AND PAVED THE WAY FOR LATINOS AS WELL.
SO I WANNA WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR, FOR EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL DONE TO MAKE SURE DIVERSITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE HOLD HIGH.
MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITY, FAMILY, UM, ALL THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE, THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND SO, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AS WELL.
I THINK THIS DAY MY SON WILL BE HAVING A PARTY, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE PARTYING AS WELL WITH YOU ALL AT EMANCIPATION PART LATER ON THAT DAY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, AS A COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL COME TOGETHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS ON 1 59 AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR ONE 60
UM, SO AS, AS EVERYBODY HAS, UH, SPOKEN, UM, THIS IS FAMILY, UH, THIS IS COMMUNITY, THIS IS CELEBRATION, THIS IS JUBILATION.
UH, WHEN WE CAME TOGETHER TO, UH, FORM JUNETEENTH HOUSTON SPECIFICALLY, UM, TO, IN THE FORMING OF CELEBRATE FREEDOM, UM, IN ITS FESTIVAL, WE DECIDED, UH, COLLECTIVELY THAT WE WOULD CENTER BLACK JOY, BLACK CELEBRATION, JUST JUBILATION THAT THIS WOULDN'T BE A PLACE TO TALK POLITICS.
THIS WOULDN'T BE A PLACE TO TRY TO FIX THINGS.
THIS WOULD BE A DAY WHERE WE ALL JUST GET TO ENJOY BEING NEIGHBORS, WHERE WE ENJOY, GET, WE ENJOY, UH, GETTING TO BE ABLE TO BE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WAS ON A PODCAST LAST NIGHT AND, UM, ONE OF THE, UH, HOSTS ASKED, WELL, HOW DO WE ENSURE, OR WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS AND
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AND THOSE THAT ARE GROWING UP KNOW ABOUT THIS HISTORY? AND I TOLD HER SIMPLY, I REMEMBER GROWING UP AND GOING TO THE COOKOUTS AND HANGING OUT WITH MY FAMILY, AND THERE WAS SO MUCH THAT I LEARNED BEING IN COMMUNITY OF FAMILY.AND THAT'S WHAT WE ASK, RIGHT? SO ON JUNE 1ST, BRING YOUR FAMILY, RIGHT? BRING YOUR FRIENDS, BRING YOUR NEIGHBORS, BRING YOUR COUSINS, BRING THE CHURCH KIDS, BRING THE KIDS DOWN THE STREET, THE CANDY LADY, BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY ONE WITH THE COOL CUBS, UH,
BUT, BUT BRING EVERY, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY IS WELCOME TO COME DOWN TO THE COOKOUT ON JUNE 1ST AT EMANCIPATION PARK.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING, PLEASE GO TO JUNETEENTH HOUSTON.ORG.
YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, THAT'S ALL JUNETEENTH HOUSTON.
UM, NOT ONLY ARE WE HAVING TO CELEBRATE FREEDOM FESTIVAL, UM, WE ALSO HAVE AN INTERACTIVE CALENDAR ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO IF YOU HAVE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR JUNETEENTH, THIS IS NOT A SILO.
PLEASE BRING NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU ARE, WHAT YOU ARE DOING, WHEN YOU ARE DOING IT.
AND IF IT'S, IF IT'S IN CELEBRATION OF JUNETEENTH, PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE, CLICK A LINK.
IT TAKES ALL OF MAYBE THREE MINUTES TO UPLOAD YOUR EVENT, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE IT ON THE CALENDAR.
IF YOU'RE HAVING ANYTHING, TAG US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE WILL SHARE IT.
UM, AND WE WILL ALSO BE HAVING SOME HISTORICAL TOURS THAT WILL BE HAPPENING, UM, AND THAT INFORMATION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AS WELL.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE COME OUT AND BRING EVERYBODY YOU KNOW.
THAT CONCLUDES, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR PASSION.
AND, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE DEFINITELY OUGHT TO BE APPRISED OF THE, UH, HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, EVEN JUST THE HISTORY OF INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS.
BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT IS PRESENT, UH, TO YOU ON JUNE 1ST.