Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where on that date in 1865, in the aftermath of the Civil War, enslaved people were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation. Over the years Juneteenth celebrations spread beyond Texas and the South as Black families migrated. And then in 2021, in response to decades of activism, President Joe Biden signed the law making Juneteenth a federal holiday .
Every year the Cleveland VOTES team does something to honor the spirit of the Juneteenth, which--we believe--is a civic holiday. This year we are honoring some of our favorite Black-led nonprofits from Northeast Ohio that we believe are embodying the Juneteenth ideals of equality and freedom in 2024.
Erika Anthony
Executive Director
What black-led organization do you want to elevate for Juneteenth this year? Men and Women of Central
How do they embody the Juneteenth ideals of equality and freedom? The Men and Women of Central (MWC) is a resident-led nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose goal is to create a healthy, vibrant Central community! MWC was formed as a grassroots organization by Jerome Baker in 2006. Â
MWC is passionate about helping Central residents improve and transform their lives. In addition to providing youth services, they engage with residents to understand their short and long-term needs. They help residents fulfill their needs by hosting community events and connecting them to resources. Cleveland VOTES had the pleasure of partnering with MWCÂ last year with our Civics Unfiltered series. Bridgette Smith-Jackson and her team have an ingenious way of blending practical and time sensitive topics along with creatively engaging events (e.g. Karaoke + Conversation).
How can people learn more about this great organization? Visit their website or Instagram page. Or check out this nice feature from Signal Cleveland.
Gloria Craig
Civic Engagement Strategist
What black-led organization do you want to elevate for Juneteenth this year? ReNOUNce DeNOUNce Gang Intervention Program
How do they embody the Juneteenth ideals of equality and freedom?ReNOUNce DeNOUNce is a black-led organization that is committed to reducing gang involvement through a 10-week mentoring program and through their Community Violence intervention efforts. Their mission is to transform ways of thinking and attitudes about gang activity, highlighting the impact individuals have on their families, communities, and themselves.Â
ReNOUNce DeNOUNce has served communities who have been denied equal access to resources through providing information, planning and hosting community events, and going out into neighborhoods speaking with youth and community members. ReNOUNce DeNOUNce also uses their programs and events to highlight democracy and the importance of maintaining and utilizing it for the communities they serve.Â
Their 10-week intensive program targets at-risk youth aged 12-17, who are either involved in gangs or at risk of joining one. It serves as a preventive measure and provides practical guidance on confronting issues such as bullying, peer pressure, conflict resolution, critical thinking, and decision-making. Understanding the importance of credible messengers, ReNOUNce DeNOUNce works with individuals who have lived experience with gang-related activity and allows them to lead efforts to engage at-risk youth.
How can people learn more about this great organization? Check out their website.
Lique Gates
Senior Strategist
What black-led organization do you want to elevate for Juneteenth this year? The organization I have chosen to uplift is Collective Citizens Organized Against Lead (CCOAL)
How do they embody the Juneteenth ideals of equality and freedom? CCOAL is an organization that is dedicated to decreasing the ongoing lead crisis in Cleveland. They do this by spreading awareness about the number of families affected by it, while working to hold those who work in housing accountable.
Cleveland VOTES and countless other organizations have supported CCOAL in their mission to reduce the current levels of lead poisoning in our communities and its damaging effects. Lead poisoning can impact the entire body, but it especially impacts the cognitive functions.
How can people learn more about this great organization? By visiting their website and following them on social media!
Brianna Zgodinski
Communications + Narrative Strategist
What black-led organization do you want to elevate for Juneteenth this year? The SPOT Youth Empowerment Organization
How do they embody the Juneteenth ideals of equality and freedom? The SPOT conducts empowering seminars and workshops that encourage and support youth development, community engagement, and advocacy. These workshops and seminars supply youth participants with educational and employment opportunities, advocacy education and training, and information about voting and voting rights. For example, using funds from Cleveland VOTES’ Equitable Civic Engagement Fund, The SPOT has hosted a series of voter empowerment workshops where youth attendees can learn about voter registration and also what it means to be an engaged voter.Â
The two co-founders (Teralawanda and Rosshawnda Aaron) are also committed to increasing the impact of their outreach efforts by participating in various leadership development opportunities, such as Cleveland VOTES’ Democracy Collective Incubator Program. As members of the incubator, Teralawanda and Rosshawnda learned how to advance equitable
civic engagement in their lives, their communities, their organizations + schools, and in Cleveland as a whole.Â
How can people learn more about this great organization? You can check out The SPOT’s website or check out their Instagram page.
You can read more about the history of Juneteenth here.
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