Juneteenth Celebration Honors History, Heritage

To Laurie Smith, Juneteenth means more than an opportunity to celebrate freedom with soul food, good music and about 50 family members at her brother’s house every year.

The Chaffey College warehouse specialist says the holiday has significance that can be traced back to her ancestors.

“My brother looked up our ancestry and discovered we had a relative who was freed on Juneteenth,” she said.

Smith and other members of the Chaffey and surrounding campus community gathered for an early Juneteenth celebration on June 18 at the Rancho Cucamonga campus. It was an afternoon of community, food, music and fun – and a chance to learn more about the federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.

“Today is a time for learning, celebration and connection,” said Chaffey College Student Government President Dylan Hollie. “Through music, culture, conversation and fellowship we honor the rich heritage and enduring legacy of those who stood before us.”

Shawnte Finley, a business administration major, said she and her family gather at a park in Los Angeles to celebrate Juneteenth every year. She dresses as a cowgirl to honor her ancestors, who were cattle rustlers in Louisiana.

“It’s more than just a day of celebrating freedom,” Finley said. “It’s a day that we are being acknowledged as human beings on this Earth.”

Upland-based “Hatina’s Muzik” performed jazz and neo soul, while students created zines and hand print designs, and took photos in the photo both.

Community member Andretta Anderson, who has attended Chaffey’s event the last three years, brought her two grandsons 8-year-old Micah and Christian Ward, 12. Anderson said Juneteenth was not something she learned while growing up, even as someone who later pursued higher education.

She wanted to make sure her grandchildren had the opportunity to understand and celebrate its significance.

“I brought them here because I want them to experience Juneteenth,” she said.