Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, nationally commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in America. In 2022, Millcreek City organized its first Juneteenth celebration and held its third annual event on Sunday, June 16 at Millcreek Common (1354 E. Chambers Ave.).

Jenessa Jimoh, CEO of D.I.V.A., has co-sponsored the event for three years and is excited to see the celebration’s growth. She said it’s important to bring the community together, not only to recognize the holiday but to educate residents on what it means. 

“That’s why we’re all here gathering today, to remember the origin of Juneteenth, which is Freedom Day,” Jimoh said. “It took years of fighting to be able to get this as a federal holiday. I also want people to see the amazing Black culture that we have in this state. We have a thriving Black community and businesses, CEOs and entrepreneurs here. So I want to uplift and empower them and bring them right to the center of the city.”

The celebration featured musical performances, a spoken word contest, a kids’ activity zone, food trucks, public skating, vendors and prizes. Mimi Sully owns espwa Co., a fashion line she hopes will create an inspirational way to deal with mental health issues and cultural awareness. 

“We have uplifting things that I try to have fun with at the same time,” Sully said. “We’re Haitian and ‘espwa’ in Haitian means ‘hope.’”  λ