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Wesley Chapel’s Union Park community celebrates Juneteenth

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The second annual Juneteenth Family Day Celebration in Wesley Chapel’s Union Park community brought on added significance.

Just days prior to the weekend event, the U.S. Senate passed legislation declaring June 19 a federal holiday, and then President Joe Biden signed it into law.

The groundbreaking development brought extra spark to all involved, event organizer Melissa Akers-Atkins acknowledged.

Tamika Diaz, of Wesley Chapel, leads children in an uplifting and inspirational dance during the Juneteenth Celebration at Union Park. (Fred Bellet)

“We were very excited,” Akers-Atkins recently told The Laker/Lutz News. “It happened Thursday, so we were excited that Saturday we were able to announce that and celebrate it again, even more. It was just a little different you know.”

The event was held to commemorate the day – June 19, 1865 – when the last enslaved Blacks, in Galveston, Texas, learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had freed them. Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day.

The June 19 celebration at Union Park was coordinated by a handful of neighborhood residents, led by Akers-Atkins. Other members of the planning committee included Tamika Diaz, Alexandra Archibald, Mesha Pierre, Talana Brown, Antoine Williams and Michaela Steward.

Songs, dance, music, food, prayer, prizes and fellowship filled a day of activities from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Union Park clubhouse on Bering Road.

Faraasha Bell Fonoti, 14, and NeVaeh Akers-Atkins, 13, both of Wesley Chapel, receive a round of applause that left them delighted after performing a step dance, which requires the shoes on the pavement to be the percussion aspects of the dance. Derived from African and slave dances, stepping or step dance is energetic and expressive.

The festival drew over 100 attendees and also had several Black-owned vendors and other organizations on hand. This included multiple young entrepreneurs like 14-year-old Jordan Parramore, the owner/operator of Jordan’s Juice Bar, selling juice pops and coco bombs.

The event began with an opening prayer from Carmel Friendship Church pastor Quincy Stratford, then a discussion on the meaning of Juneteenth led by co-organizer Tamika Diaz.

Neil Archibald, a Wesley Chapel-based attorney, delivered a reflection speech called “Affirmations to Live By,” about what it’s like to be an African American male in society today. He also encouraged young people to pursue their dreams and never give up on lifelong goals.

Multiple poems were presented throughout the event, too.

Aiyana Gabrielle Williams, 15, delivered “Never Give In” by Greg Thung. Deidre Kelsey-Holley read an original poem, titled “Chosen.”

The family friendly event also included all sorts of activities for kids, including volleyball, football, Connect 4, Jenga, corn hole, checkers, hula hoop and bounce house.

The recent deaths of Black individuals by police officers, including George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement and street protests brought greater attention to Juneteenth celebrations over the past couple years.

Neil Archibald and his sons Nicholas, 6, left, and Noah, 7, watch a step dance performance on the Union Park sidewalk. It was all part of the entertainment at the Juneteenth Celebration.

The background and history of Juneteenth is enlightening.

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, freeing slaves living in the Confederate states.

But, the news in those days traveled slowly, or in some instances, wasn’t acknowledged by slave owners.

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers came ashore at Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery. The date was 2 ½ years after Lincoln’s proclamation.

A few months later, on Dec. 6, 1865, the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery everywhere. The following year, Juneteenth celebrations, often hosted by African American churches, took root.

Raising awareness of the importance of Juneteenth was among Union Park event organizers goals.

But, they also want to foster unity, a sense of safety, and civic participation through voting.

Uplifting and providing outreach to area youth likewise was imperative during the Juneteenth celebration, Akers-Atkins said.

Several kids were incorporated into the celebration, including a step dance performance from Wesley Chapel teenagers Faraasha Bell Fonoto and NaVeah Akers-Atkins.

Trevor Roberts, 40, of Wesley Chapel, said he really only learned about Juneteenth eight years ago, while living in Oakland, California. He is happy the day is now well-known and the history behind the day will now be widely taught to children in school.

Derived from African and slave dances, stepping is energetic and expressive, and requires the shoes on the pavement to be the percussion aspects of the dance.

Meanwhile, the celebration’s youngest performer was five-year-old Joilene Jones, who delivered a gymnastics routine for all to see.

“I think as the youth see the community within which they live care about their education, whether they’re in school or out of school, we care enough about them, and we’d like to still encourage them in that and let them see that you don’t just have to learn what they teach you in school,” Akers-Atkins explained.

“Your neighbors, your community, the people around you, we’re all here to help build you up and mold you into this well-rounded individual, seeing and doing and modeling for them, and also including them in these activities and including them in the planning, so I think it’s very important that we do that, and that we continue to push them.

“We hope there’s more kids next year that aren’t afraid to step out of their comfort zone and they’re able to share their artistic talents with their community,” Akers-Atkins said.

Melissa and fellow organizers plan to host a Juneteenth celebration each year at Union Park, with grander visions to someday collaborate on a countywide event incorporating several other neighboring communities — a get-together that could be held at Wesley Chapel District Park.

Meanwhile, they also plan to host other cultural events through the year at Union Park, including celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

Published June 30, 2021

Union Park community celebrates Juneteenth

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NeVaeh Akers-Atkins offered a simple explanation for why she was at a local Juneteenth event last week.

“It’s very important to me,” the 11-year-old said. “It shows people that we should be treated the same.”

She was with families and friends at the first annual Juneteenth Family Day Celebration in Wesley Chapel’s Union Park community.

The event was held to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States, which occurred on June 19, 1865.

Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day.

The inaugural celebration at Union Park came together in two weeks of whirlwind planning by residents and members of Carmel Friendship Church.

Faraasha Bell, 13, left, and NeVaeh Akers-Atkins,11, delight the crowd with an impressionistic dance during a Juneteenth celebration at Union Park in Wesley Chapel. (Fred Bellet)

Songs, dance, music, food, prayer, prizes and fellowship filled a day of activities from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., on June 19, at the Union Park clubhouse on Bering Road.

“We’re having one big celebration,” said organizer Melissa Akers-Atkins. “It’s one of many to come.”

The program included 16-year-old Miranda Archibald, who read the poem, “We Rose,” by Kristina Kay.

And, Aniya Stratford, of Carmel Friendship Church, sang, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” which often is referred to as the Black national anthem.

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, freeing slaves living in the Confederate states.

Pastor Quincy Stratford of the Carmel Friendship Church offers a prayer at the first annual Juneteenth Family Day Celebration in Wesley Chapel’s Union Park. His wife, Jennifer, and 30 members of the church, are there to celebrate the end of slavery.

But, the news in those days traveled slowly, or in some instances, wasn’t acknowledged by slave owners.

On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers came ashore at Galveston, Texas, and announced the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery. The date was 2 ½ years after Lincoln’s proclamation.

A few months later, on Dec. 6, 1865, the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery everywhere. The following year, Juneteenth celebrations, often hosted by African-American churches, took root.

Many states now recognize the holiday. A campaign is underway now for Congress to declare Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

“It makes me happy that it’s finally being recognized locally as a holiday,” said Jamila Wright, owner of Writz Jewelry. “With everything that’s going on, it’s very important that people in general learn more about our history. I think it should be a federal holiday.”

Wright was among several black-owned businesses at the Union Park event.

Food truck owners for Wing Box, Craving Donuts and Sun’s Just Egg Rolls rolled into the clubhouse parking lot.

Vendors and sponsors included Writz Jewelry, QDP Photography, Mary Kay, Red Robin, Sign Dreamers of Wesley Chapel, and Julie’s African Hair Braiding.

Carmel Friendship Church and Union Park Charter Academy had informative displays.

Jordan Glogowski’s mask is emblazoned with a symbol for love and a T-shirt with a similar message.

Kat Stylez (her author’s name) set up a table with artwork and her first book of poetry, “Girl, Who Hurt You?”

Raising awareness of the importance of Juneteenth was one of the organizers’ goals. But, they also want to foster unity, a sense of safety, and civic participation through voting.

“We are blessed,” said organizer Tabatha Johnson. “It is important to showcase this celebration. This is the day for African-Americans. But, the celebration is not to dismiss any other culture or race.”

The recent deaths of black men by police officers, including George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks, the Black Lives Matter movement and street protests brought greater attention to the Juneteenth celebrations this year.

For Faraasha Bell, 13, Juneteenth “means that we get to learn how other people got treated and how other people experience it.”

She had Brooks’ death in mind when she said, “I see it on the news and how terrifying it is.”

Markee Duncan, 36, gave testimony as a 6-foot-5 black man who is “two shades darker than 8:30 p.m.”

Kaylen Boss, 22, left, looks over a copy of her twin sister, Kat Stylez’s book, ‘Girl, Who Hurt You?’ Stylez, a vendor at the event, was selling her book and artwork.

Growing up in South Carolina, he said blacks were told not to look white people in the eye and to move across the street to avoid unnecessary contact.

“In history class all I learned about is men who didn’t look like me,” Duncan said.

He said he has been pulled over by police while driving in largely white neighborhoods. “The melanin of my skin didn’t allow me the same rights as those in the Constitution.”

Akers-Atkins said organizers hope to host a Juneteenth celebration annually at Union Park. But, they also want to host other cultural events through the year.

Johnson said: “We do have faith that we will continue to grow, to know we are here and can help each other. It’s important to have empathy. I love seeing so much diversity in our community.”

Published June 24, 2020