Juneteenth Is Black Joy: 7 Black Women On What Liberation Looks Like Now
Source: Courtesy of Featured / Courtesy of Featured
As the nation pauses to honor Juneteenth—the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas were finally informed of their freedom, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation—Black Americans continue to infuse the day with meaning, reflection, and joy. It's more than a commemoration. It's a celebration of culture, a resistance against erasure, and a radical assertion of freedom in all its forms. We spoke with several Black changemakers, creatives, and community leaders to hear how they celebrate Juneteenth, what freedom means to them, and how they intentionally make space for joy—especially in times that threaten it most. Source: Courtesy of Featured / Courtesy of Blair Imani
Activist and educator Blair Imani (she/her) celebrates Juneteenth by 'centering community and focusing on education.' For her, the holiday is a chance to uplift Black Americans and affirm that 'our history is U.S. history.' Similarly, Ozy Aloziem (she/her), a DEI strategist and poet, immerses herself in 'Black people, Black music, Black stories, Black food, Black joy, Black art, and Black everything' during the holiday. 'I try to find ways to honor and hold space for history and the hard-earned freedom I'm privileged to access,' she shares.
For Whitney Roberts, the day is centered around family traditions. 'We explain, in an age-appropriate way, what the holiday is and why it matters,' she says. Then, the family turns to cooking together, pulling recipes from Watermelon and Red Birds by Nicole Taylor. 'Juneteenth for us is really about family, about connection, and about love.' Source: Courtesy of Featured / Courtesy of Whitney Roberts
Zayna Allen (she/her) reflects on her evolving relationship with the holiday. 'I only started celebrating within the past five years,' she says, explaining that Juneteenth wasn't something she learned about until adulthood. Now, she prioritizes being around her community. 'On Juneteenth, we're unapologetically Blackity Black—and I love seeing that from us.'
Gabrielle, co-founder of Vibes In The Park , marks the occasion through community-based celebrations like festivals, food, art, and educational events. 'We support Black-owned businesses and creators—centering Black culture in all its beauty and brilliance.'
While the holiday commemorates a historic moment of freedom, today's Black leaders acknowledge that the concept of liberation remains complex and contested.
'Freedom is under constant threat,' says Blair Imani, referencing attacks on trans rights, reproductive justice, immigrant communities, and voting rights. 'While we are in a different position than our ancestors were in 1865, freedom must still be fought for diligently.' She uplifts the work of the Legal Defense Fund and others who continue to defend civil rights in the face of modern-day oppression. Source: Courtesy of Featured / Courtesy of Ozy Aloziem
For Ozy, freedom means 'being able to access and live into possibility,' unbound by fear. Whitney sees it as 'being your full self without fear,' living in a way so free it liberates others just by example. And for Gabrielle, it's about 'existing fully and unapologetically—mentally, spiritually, and physically.'
Zayna envisions freedom as the ability to step outside without fear, to be wholly oneself without restraint. It's a dream, she admits, but one worth holding onto and pushing toward.
In a world that often attempts to rob Black people of peace and rest, joy is a revolutionary act.
'Joy and the fight against oppression are not mutually exclusive,' says Blair. 'In fact, joy is necessary to fight against our dehumanization.' Whether it's a comedy show, time with loved ones, or new music, she sees joy as a way to stay grounded in the vision of a better world.
Whitney agrees that joy must be intentional. 'It could be a dance party with my 4-year-old, Kiki-ing with my friends, journaling, or neighborhood walks,' she says. 'Whatever it is, it must be an intentional choice. If joy can't be found, sometimes it must be made.' Source: Courtesy of Featured / Courtesy of Zayna Allen
Ozy speaks passionately about her transformation from melancholy to what she calls 'the queen of wow.' She finds joy in everything from silly Instagram reels and jump-roping to poetry and yellow sunflowers. 'Joy, quite literally, is at my fingertips,' she laughs, referring to her sunflower-covered phone case and bright yellow nails.
For Zayna, protecting joy is an act of resistance. 'It's tough,' she admits. 'But I don't allow external factors to jeopardize my connection to joy, no matter how hard it is to find it some days.'
Gabrielle echoes this sentiment, saying she makes space for joy by 'protecting my peace, surrounding myself with people who pour into me, and doing things that feel good to my mind, body, and spirit.'
Juneteenth is not just a day off or a moment of historical reflection. It's a living, breathing call to action. It invites us to remember what our ancestors fought for and to recommit ourselves to a vision of freedom that includes joy, justice, and full self-expression. As these voices remind us, liberation isn't a moment—it's a lifelong journey. And on that journey, joy is not optional. It's essential.
SEE ALSO
Juneteenth Is Black Joy: 7 Black Women On What Liberation Looks Like Now was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
Black America Web Featured Video
CLOSE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Boston Globe
At BAMS Festival, the full spectrum of Black culture takes the stage
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up In the 'Beat Feet' dance tent, Stiggity Stackz offered breakdancing workshops, Boston Rhythm Riders demonstrated how to line dance to this year's Southern soul cookout staple 'Boots on the Ground,' and Chanel 'Ms.5678' Thompson taught guests how to move to Jamaican dancehall and Cape Verdean music. Advertisement Speaking after her session, Thompson said she aimed for an uplifting mix of music 'so that people felt joy, ultimate joy, that might be missing in these times that we're in.' It was also common to hear such sentiments from audience members. 'It's important for there to be hypervisibility of Black joy, because right now, I believe that a lot of politicians and even the media are profiting off of Black pain by sharing the worst of what we're going through right now,' said Melanie Wilkerson, 32, who was visiting from Brooklyn when her friends told her about the festival. 'We're going to liberate ourselves and find our joy in the process.' Advertisement Such a need especially exists in Boston, opined Ashé Brooks-Cook. The 42-year-old from Roxbury was at his fourth BAMS Festival. 'You look around, you see us, and there aren't many spaces and places where you see people that look like you, especially in mainstream Boston,' he said. 'So I love just being around my people, the atmosphere, the positivity, the music, the culture.' Hannah Betit (center) dances with others in front of the BAMS Festival stage. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff The festival offered inspiration from as far away as Africa — courtesy of a workshop by Afrobeats Dance Boston — and as nearby as the blocks surrounding Franklin Park. At the KidChella family stage, 21-year-old spoken word artist Val Lapree, who grew up in the neighborhood, read a piece called 'Wishful Thinking' that she wrote in the aftermath of the 2020 George Floyd murder. The poem was a sharp, critical look at the concept of 'Boston Strong.' Many of the local artists took advantage of their main stage performances to put together special presentations. Solari Blue into a high-energy revue. Likewise, Boston rap legend Advertisement Titi Ngwenya holds a carnation she bought at BAMS Festival while she listens to live music. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff R&B chanteuse Kasia Lavon had performed at a prior BAMS Festival as a background vocalist for rapper Red Shaydez. This year, she got to lead her own ensemble and highlight her powerful songwriting skills. Speaking after her set, Lavon said her band and singers had spent months planning and rehearsing every element of the set — including her bold red and pink outfit. 'It was important for us because this is home, and because so many people pour their hearts into this festival to honor Black culture,' said Lavon. Other local performers ranged from the dynamic precision of the recently formed dance crew The Peacekeepers. to the ultra-versatile Boston producer and artist Haasan Barclay, who leaned into his pop and hip-hop sides before strapping on his electric guitar for a blast of punk rock. Watching the crowds stream in after early afternoon sprinkles let up, BAMS Festival board chair While its Franklin Park presence shrank from two days to one this year, the festival expanded its reach with Advertisement Noah Schaffer can be reached at . Jeffrey Kelly can be reached at
Black America Web
8 hours ago
- Black America Web
Celebrating Black Music Month: Our Favorite Black Live Performers Of All Time
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty Black Music Month is coming to a close, but not until we celebrate the top Black live performers of all time. From Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and more, check out a gallery of our favorites inside. Black Music Month is a recognition of the profound impact Black artists have made across every genre and generation. From genre-defining vocals to mind-blowing stage presence, these performers haven't just influenced music, but they've shaped culture. Some modern day favorites include Beyoncé, who literally continues to break records around the world. Others include the late, great Michael Jackson, who left a legacy as the King of Pop. He redefined what it meant to be a global superstar with his signature dance moves, timeless sounds and lasting impact. These are just 15 of our personal favorite live performers. If you feel we missed someone, comment your favorites below. These legends didn't just perform—they transcended. Happy Black Music Month! Let's give flowers to some of the greatest to ever do it (in no particular order): Celebrating Black Music Month: Our Favorite Black Live Performers Of All Time was originally published on Source:YouTube The undisputed queen of the stage, Beyoncé continues to set new standards. From Homecoming to the Renaissance tour, her performances are visual art, vocal excellence, and Black pride in motion. Source:YouTube The King of Pop redefined what it meant to be a global superstar. From the moonwalk to 'Thriller,' MJ's impact is eternal, inspiring generations of performers. Source:YouTube With one of the most powerful voices in history, Whitney could make the national anthem feel like a love song. Her ballads, beauty, and range made her a true icon. Source:YouTube A boundary-breaking genius who owned the stage like a rock god, Prince's electrifying performances and androgynous style made him a revolutionary in music and identity. Source:YouTube With cinematic visuals and chart-topping hits, The Weeknd's evolution from enigmatic mixtape artist to Super Bowl headliner proves he's one of the greats of his generation. Source:YouTube Despite controversies, Breezy's talent is undeniable. His dancing, vocal range, and dedication to performance make him a modern-day showman. Source:YouTube The blueprint. With smooth moves, classic R&B hits, and that Vegas residency, Usher has remained a fixture in music for over two decades. Source:YouTube The Godfather of Soul laid the foundation. His funky footwork, powerful shouts, and relentless energy made him the original stage-killer. Source:YouTube The Queen of Rock & Roll turned pain into power. Her raspy vocals and commanding performances made her one of the most respected artists ever. Source:YouTube From whispery vocals to crisp choreography, Janet created a lane that's still being traveled today. Her Rhythm Nation era is still iconic. Source:YouTube The visionary. Missy's visuals, production, and flows changed the game forever. And she still hasn't missed. Source:YouTube The ultimate dance-floor commander, Ciara burst onto the scene with 'Goodies' and has kept us moving ever since. She's a pioneer in merging R&B with crunk and pop, and her influence can be felt in today's new wave of performer-dancers. Source:YouTube A creative force and one of the most dynamic performers of her generation, Teyana Taylor is an artist's artist. Blending 90s R&B grit with cinematic flair, her live shows are a masterclass in choreography, emotion, and stage presence. Source:YouTube The architect of psychedelic rock and one of the most iconic guitarists in history, Jimi Hendrix didn't just perform—he unleashed sonic revolutions. With his electric energy, improvisational genius, and groundbreaking use of distortion and feedback, Hendrix captivated audiences from Woodstock to Monterey. Source:YouTube The prophet of reggae, delivered revolutionary messages with a calm fire, moving the world to unity and resistance.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fans criticize Beyoncé for shirt calling Native Americans 'the enemies of peace'
A T-shirt worn by Beyoncé during a Juneteenth performance on her 'Cowboy Carter' tour has sparked a discussion over how Americans frame their history and caused a wave of criticism for the Houston-born superstar. The T-shirt worn during a concert in Paris featured images of the Buffalo Soldiers, who belonged to Black U.S. Army units active during the late 1800s and early 1900s. On the back was a lengthy description of the soldiers that included 'their antagonists were the enemies of peace, order and settlement: warring Indians, bandits, cattle thieves, murderous gunmen, bootleggers, trespassers, and Mexican revolutionaries.' Images of the shirt and videos of the performance are also featured on Beyoncé's website. As she prepares to return to the U.S. for performances in her hometown this weekend, fans and Indigenous influencers took to social media to criticize Beyoncé for wearing a shirt that frames Native Americans and Mexican revolutionaries as anything but the victims of American imperialism and for promoting anti-Indigenous language. A spokesperson for Beyoncé did not respond to a request for comment. Who were the Buffalo Soldiers? The Buffalo Soldiers served in six military units created after the Civil War in 1866. They were comprised of formerly enslaved men, freemen, and Black Civil War soldiers and fought in hundreds of conflicts — including in the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II — until they were disbanded in 1951. As the quote on Beyoncé's shirt notes, they also fought numerous battles against Indigenous peoples as part of the U.S. Army's campaign of violence and land theft during the country's westward expansion. Some historians say the moniker 'Buffalo Soldiers' was bestowed by the tribes who admired the bravery and tenacity of the fighters, but that might be more legend than fact. 'At the end of the day, we really don't have that kind of information,' said Cale Carter, director of exhibitions at the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in Houston. Carter and other museum staff said that, only in the past few years, the museum made broader efforts to include more of the complexities of the battles the Buffalo Soldiers fought against Native Americans and Mexican revolutionaries and the role they played in the subjugation of Indigenous peoples. They, much like many other museums across the country, are hoping to add more nuance to the framing of American history and be more respectful of the ways they have caused harm to Indigenous communities. 'We romanticize the Western frontier,' he said. 'The early stories that talked about the Buffalo Soldiers were impacted by a lot of those factors. So you really didn't see a changing in that narrative until recently.' There has often been a lack of diverse voices discussing how the history of the Buffalo Soldiers is framed, said Michelle Tovar, the museum's director of education. The current political climate has put enormous pressure on schools, including those in Texas, to avoid honest discussions about American history, she said. 'Right now, in this area, we are getting pushback from a lot of school districts in which we can't go and teach this history," Tovar said. "We are a museum where we can at least be a hub, where we can invite the community regardless of what districts say, invite them to learn it and do what we can do the outreach to continue to teach honest history.' Historians scrutinize reclamation motive Beyoncé's recent album 'Act II: Cowboy Carter' has played on a kind of American iconography, which many see as her way of subverting the country music genre's adjacency to whiteness and reclaiming the cowboy aesthetic for Black Americans. Last year, she became the first Black woman ever to top Billboard's country music chart, and 'Cowboy Carter' won her the top prize at the 2025 Grammy Awards, album of the year. 'The Buffalo Soldiers play this major role in the Black ownership of the American West,' said Tad Stoermer, a historian and professor at Johns Hopkins University. 'In my view, (Beyoncé is) well aware of the role that these images play. This is the 'Cowboy Carter' tour for crying out loud. The entire tour, the entire album, the entire piece is situated in this layered narrative.' But Stoermer also points out that the Buffalo Soldiers have been framed in the American story in a way that also plays into the myths of American nationalism. As Beyoncé's use of Buffalo Soldiers imagery implies, Black Americans also use their story to claim agency over their role in the creation of the country, said Alaina E. Roberts, a historian, author and professor at the University of Pittsburgh who studies the intersection of Black and Native American life from the Civil War to present day. 'That's the category in which she thought maybe she was coming into this conversation, but the Buffalo Soldiers are even a step above that because they were literally involved in not just the settlement of the West but of genocide in a sense,' she said. Online backlash builds ahead of Houston shows Several Native influencers, performers, and academics took to social media this week to criticize Beyoncé or decry the shirt's language as anti-Indigenous. 'Do you think Beyoncé will apologize (or acknowledge) the shirt?' an Indigenous news and culture Instagram account with more than 130,000 followers, asked in a post Thursday. Many of her critics, as well as fans, agree. A flood of social media posts called out the pop star for the historic framing on the shirt. 'The Buffalo Soldiers are an interesting historical moment to look at. But we have to be honest about what they did, especially in their operations against Indigenous Americans and Mexicans,' said Chisom Okorafor, who posts on TikTok under the handle @confirmedsomaya. Okorafor said there is no 'progressive' way to reclaim America's history of empire building in the West, and that Beyoncé's use of Western symbolism sends a problematic message: 'That Black people, too, can engage in American nationalism.' 'Black people, too, can profit from the atrocities of (the) American empire,' she said. "It is a message that tells you to abandon immigrants, Indigenous people, and people who live outside of the United States. It is a message that tells you not only is it a virtue to have been born in this country, but the longer your line extends in this country, the more virtuous you are.'
