Stay Black and Live: A Virtual Juneteenth Celebration to be held June 19

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AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center in collaboration with Six Square, Greater East Austin Youth Association (G.E.A.Y.A.), Jump On It, District 1 City Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison will host Stay Black and Live: A Virtual Juneteenth Celebration on Friday, June 19, 2020 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

This year’s Juneteenth Committee, with the support of 10,000 Fearless First Responders, will distribute 600 BBQ plates to communities most impacted by COVID-19. Food distribution will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Carver Museum parking lot behind Kealing Middle School. 

RELATED: Juneteenth celebrates end of slavery in Texas

The festival will be hosted by NOOK Turner, founder of Jump On It, an organization dedicated to uniting youth and their families. 

Musical performances will be streamed “tiny desk style” and feature alternative R&B artist Alesia Lani, husband and wife hip-hop duo, Riders Against the Storm, indie R&B singer EimaraL Sol, lyricist Queen Deelah, and homegrown rapper/vocalist Anastasia.

Festivities will conclude with spoken word offerings by Ebony Stewart, Faylita Hicks, Stephanie Lang, KB, and Joe Brundidge.

An online raffle and auction will be hosted by Six Square’s Executive Director, Pamela Benson Owens, with a portion of the proceeds going to support Greater East Austin Youth Association who has been organizing the City’s annual Juneteenth festivities for decades.

Juneteenth commemorates the formal end of slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865. Colloquially known as “The Black 4th of July,” Juneteenth marks the beginning of an African American journey to create identities outside of enslavement.

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Organizers say the Juneteenth Festival is not only a celebration of emancipation and commemoration of a distinctive past but an opportunity for future generations to learn about our history.

In a news release officials add, "In a time when Black communities are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and the global pandemic has laid bare the historic inequalities that have plagued this country from its inception,  it is critically important that the fight for Black Lives continues. Stay Black and Live, is a call to action, a celebration of history and culture that is unapologetic."

Head to the event's Facebook for more information.