What began four years ago as a grassroots effort to celebrate the end of slavery has this year drawn city and county organizations into the mix for a community-wide gathering of food, arts, crafts, activities, educational and wellness materials, entertainment, and lots of fun on the city’s north and south sides.
That’s what happens when Juneteenth, hosted by Just Kings, meets up with the city schools’ Creative Communities: Interactive Health Fest. It began when Community Schools Coordinator Julia Rogers began discussing possibilities of a collaboration with Just Kings members.
“It's important that when we as a community are planning events, we try to work together. As many know, we tend to have many events on the same day in our community, so I wanted to make sure that everyone had the chance to attend both,” Rogers said to The Batavian.
Both events happily fit into one another’s schedules, with Creative Communities first set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Robert Morris School, 80 Union St., Batavia.
“Our interactive event will focus on local artists sharing talents with Batavia students, their families, and the community. We are encouraging Batavia community members to focus on whole body health: physical, mental, social and emotional,” Rogers said. “The difference between this and past events is, in addition to Go ART!, we have partnered with Just Kings, the Suicide Coalition of Genesee County, and the Madeline Bartz Mission, Inc. Families will be able to visit various agencies who have tables at the event, including Rochester Regional's Teddy Bear Clinic and the Batavia Lions Club's Vision Screening.
“They will have the chance to visit our Heart of Kindness Center (formerly the Community Closet), have a chance to win prizes, and most importantly, learn various ways to stay healthy,” Rogers said.
Integral to this program has been a free bus service, which will pick up and drop off students and families throughout the day at designated school locations from 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Buses will then be available to transport families to the Just Kings event beginning at 1:45 through 4:45 p.m. For details and the full bus schedule, go HERE.
That’s where the second half of the day fits into this partnership. Just Kings will be hosting its annual Juneteenth, A Freedom Celebration from noon to 8 p.m. at Williams Park on Pearl Street, Batavia.
Greg Monroe and fellow Just Kings members were thrilled to join forces with Rogers for a jam-packed day full of activities, he said.
“It means more people, which is just awesome,” Munroe said. “They had their health fest going, and they pitched their idea to us. I say the more the merrier, celebrate Juneteenth with us. It’s a celebration of the end of slavery, and a day that everyone can celebrate.”
There will be arts and crafts, food and nonprofit vendors at the park, a DJ, an African dance troupe, and Buffalo recording artist Marchon Hamilton II performing at 3 p.m.
Just Kings will have a booth with brochures and history about the significance of the date — June 19, 1865 — and its designation as Jubilee, or Freedom or Liberation, Day, to mark the end of slavery in the United States.
Saturday is only the beginning of this joint effort, and “collaboration is the key” in moving forward, Rogers said.
“Everyone is part of the Batavia community, and coming together to support one another in any way possible is the best way to be role models to our children. Greg Munroe, a member of Just Kings, has been very helpful in getting the word out about both of our events,” she said. “The Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Madeline Bartz Mission, Inc. also helped develop the idea, and our Community Schools subcommittee (made up of local and state agencies) got the ball rolling. We are very lucky to be in a community that wants to work together.”
Just Kings vendor liaison Lydia Bruce worked with Rogers so that attendees will be able to get a $2 voucher toward food at the Just Kings event. Ever been to a Just Kings chicken barbecue? Organization members line up the grills and have that tangy-charred smell of barbecue in the air just waiting for passersby who may find it hard to resist.
Bruce said that there are about 15 vendors signed up to participate so far, and she appreciates the opportunity for them — whether nonprofits or businesses — to let the community know what they offer.
“This is the first year we’re doing that tag team (with community schools), and everyone can attend both events,” Bruce said. “I think it's going to be an awesome day.”
This event is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the NYS Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and NYS Legislature and administered by Go Art!
