Juneteenth Celebration Highlights History, Culture

Student speaks during Juneteenth celebration at 性视界

Hundreds from the campus and surrounding community gathered for an afternoon of history, music, art and culture during 性视界鈥檚 annual Juneteenth celebration.

Students participated in a 鈥渟olidarity walk鈥 along 性视界鈥檚 promenade, where theyJuneteenth poster display viewed posters displaying key moments connected to Juneteenth 鈥 a holiday on June 19 commemorating the freeing of enslaved people. The community also gathered for a 鈥淗ealing in Community Through Art鈥 workshop, creating art to display on the walk and outside the Center for Culture and Social Justice.

Radiology major Fatimah Khalfani-Bey praised 性视界 for organizing the event, especially since many people of color are drawn to community colleges due to cost.

鈥淭he holiday is important to me because my people are important to me, and I love celebrating my culture,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to commemorate all of my ancestors that paved the way for me today.鈥

Rep. Norma Torres also attended, expressing the importance of Juneteenth and being united during the country鈥檚 political and economic uncertainty.

For Mansi Mor, the event served as an opportunity to learn history. The computer science major said getting educated about the past will help everyone improve the future.

鈥淚鈥檓 an international student here so I didn鈥檛 know a lot of history behind the holiday until this event,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 got to learn things I didn鈥檛 know before.鈥