Ways to Get Involved: Juneteenth

Although 2022 marks the first year that Juneteenth will be celebrated as a federal holiday, many Black and African American communities have been celebrating the holiday for decades! You may be wondering how you/your family can get involved and celebrate and honor Juneteenth. Below are some ideas—thanks to CYC staff for your ideas and submissions!

Read a Juneteenth-themed book

One of the best ways to help young people in your life learn about Juneteenth is through storytelling. We loved this list of book recommendations from the New York Public Library (via Chalkbeat) featuring books for all ages that help teach about Juneteenth this month. The books acknowledge the terrors of slavery; examine experiences of emancipation; and look at the fight for justice still happening today for Black Americans. If you are looking for adult reads, we recommend this list from Penguin Random House.

Attend a Juneteenth event

There are many events you can attend throughout Colorado to celebrate Juneteenth, including:

• Juneteenth Music Festival in Historic Five Points, Denver: June 18-19 (free event)
• Juneteenth Roll at ReelWorks, Denver: June 17 (21+ only; $10 presale)
• Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival, Colorado Springs: June 17-19 (free event)
• Crested Butte Juneteenth Celebration: June 19 (various prices)
• Celebration of Black Excellence, Boulder: June 20 (free event)

Enjoy a Juneteenth-inspired meal

Thank you to our Senior Human Resources Manager Nadine, who recommended this first-ever cookbook to celebrate Juneteenth! Watermelon and Red Birds by Nicole A. Taylor includes not only recipes but also a resource guide to BIPOC-owned brands of hot sauces, spices, jams, and more. We also loved this list of Black-owned soul food restaurants in Denver from Westword if you are looking to support local businesses and skip the cooking!

Activate and participate

Juneteenth is a celebration of Black excellence and liberation and our country’s progress in the fight for equal rights for Black Americans. However, it is important to recognize that this work is ongoing. Another way to honor Juneteenth is to be an activist and anti-racist in your community. Juneteenth.com has a great list of what this could look like for you, from identifying individuals to receive community service awards to bringing in a guest speaker at your workplace to gathering your family together to discuss and celebrate the holiday.

We would love to hear other ideas you and your family have for celebrating and honoring Juneteenth. Contact us on social media or email us anytime at info@youthforachange.org!