Uniondale keeps the spirit of Juneteenth lively

Neighbors gathered at Uniondale High School June 17 for their first Joy Fest, a Juneteenth celebration.

The event, hosted by the UHS Parent Teachers Association, My Brother’s Keeper, and Assemblywoman Taylor Darling, offered free admission to all attendees and activities like giveaways, a bounce house, face painting, vendors, and complimentary food.

At the center of the festivities sat a stage showcasing live music and featuring performances by The Shed Drumline, Turtle Hook Middle School, DJ Shuttle and more. With artistic touches by Hofstra college senior Beauvoir Jean-Charles, the UHS lobby came alive with the mesmerizing “Journey to Joy Artshow,” presented by Hofstra University.

Keynote speaker Fred Brewington addressed Juneteenth’s significance, the crucial need for Black visibility and race-conscious education.

Brewington’s statements were amplified by a captivating spoken word performance by Chaka Adams, vice president of marketing at Jovia Financial Credit.

UHS alumnus J. R. Levy expanded the conversation from historical education to the importance of financial literacy in bridging the information gaps that disproportionately harm Black communities.

Students from schools across the school district demonstrated the power of community through musical performances, powerful dance routines, and volunteer work.

“I’ve celebrated Juneteenth since I was little. To me, it’s always meant community and family gathering to celebrate our ancestors,” said 14-year-old student Amaya Grier, who plays trumpet in The Shed Drumline. “With many different schools [in the district], I feel like we’re kind of divided, so to see many here, especially performers, enforces a type of community value.”

Darling’s decision to name this Juneteenth celebration the first official Joy Fest amplified the holiday’s meaning because, said Tanya Carter of the Joysetta & Julius Pearse Nassau County African American Museum, the city of Joy, New York, was the birthplace of General Gordon Granger, who announced slavery’s end in Texas 158 years ago.

“We named this Joy Fest because we do not want to sit on our trauma,” said Darling. “We don’t want to sit in our struggle. We don’t ever forget, but we want to celebrate our joy and excellence.”

Darling said when Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021—a long-awaited achievement, national recognition unfortunately overshadowed local commemorations that had preserved cultural traditions. She envisioned a celebration based in the local Black community.

“I felt like we should not have to spend one dollar to acknowledge and celebrate who we are—our history and routine,” Darling said. “So I reached out to some really big heavy hitters who are present in the community. I wanted to say, Hey guys, this is the vision.”

According to Darling, Joy Fest aimed to avoid a commercialized Juneteenth by organizing various sponsors, who pledged not to profit from this sacred moment, but to provide a free event that recognized historically Black contributions.

School Superintendent Dr. Monique Darrisaw-Akil explained that Joy Fest serves as a commemoration of Juneteenth, but also as an opportunity for education that transcends a single holiday.

“We have to educate students in the classroom to be upstanders and to honor the legacy of the people who have sacrificed so much,” said Darrisaw-Akil. “We want our students to be empowered and resilient, but also to be the stewards of the community, and to uphold traditions, respect our elders and get involved in the community.”

She further highlighted that the pursuit of true liberation is not a rejection of patriotism but rather an ode to enslaved individuals who built this country on slave labor.

“Holidays and ceremonies are important because they give us an opportunity to stop, think about what it means that people in this country were enslaved and worked for free for generations, and helped build the foundation of this country,” said Darrisaw-Akil.