The sun shone over the Ortho Lot as students gathered in the grass and at set-up tables to celebrate Juneteenth with games, food, open-mic singing, and dancing on June 5.
“I was very happy with the turnout this year,” YAC leader junior Hannah Loyd said. “I’m so glad so many people came to support the event.”
The event was planned by the Young Activists Coalition (YAC), with major preparations detailing food, activities, and the technical parts of the event.
“So I contacted Coffeehouse to find some singers, and then, I contacted a couple of people individually,” Loyd said. “We had a lot of help from our actual YAC members. They brought in a ton of food. It’s so great that so many people were able to help out.”
To break the ice, YAC leaders juniors Loyd, Zoe Likely, and Jordyn Thurmond started the open mic by singing a “Hamilton” song, allowing the attendees to be more comfortable and enjoy themselves.
“I just think it’s important for leaders to show up, show out,” Thurmond said. “Be like, ‘Yo, this is what we’re doing. You don’t have to do it, but look how much fun we have doing it.’ And we got even the shyest people to be like, ‘We can shake up trouble.’ I think that’s what’s most important.”
Many attendees enjoyed watching and participating in the open mic singing performances.
“It was really funny, and like, it was really fun,” sophomore Pearl Tweedy said. “I loved it.”
A marriage proposal by Tweedy to her best friend, sophomore Eli Graves, also occurred during the celebration.
“I saw the Ring Pops and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I should propose to someone but who? And I’m like, ‘Oh, my best friend’s here. I should use him for my little bit.’ So I was like, ‘Eli, if I were to propose to you with a Ring Pop, what flavor would you want?’ He was like, ‘blue raspberry.’ So I went up, and I did my little speech, completely improv. And then I asked, and he said yes. We’re best friends forever,” Tweedy said.
The success of the Juneteenth celebration leaves the YAC leaders excited and hopeful for next year’s celebration.
“Every year, we just want it to get bigger, we want it to last, especially as next year is our last year,” Likely said. “We want to make sure we make a lasting impact so that it can last past us.”
