Organizers of Juneteenth event in Riviera Beach react to president signing bill making June 19 a holiday
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A national push to make Juneteenth, which is on June 19, a federal holiday is a success.
Sukeenah Kelly and Kenesha Hemmings co-founded Juneteenth of Palm Beach County last year. They have been pushing to make sure June 19 — which honors the end of slavery — isn’t forgotten.
“I think it’s important because it’s an acknowledgment of history and a lot of times in our community our history is hidden and it’s not acknowledged, so now we can have an open dialogue,” Kelly said.
They’re excited to hear Congress approved a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
But they said more work needs to be done.
“I’m excited for it, but I also don’t want the other things that we are pushing for, the other bills that kind of got pushed under the rug or are still sitting there or being battled over, not to be overshadowed or looked over,” Hemmings said.
They will host their first-ever Juneteenth Festival Saturday at the Riviera Beach Marina Village.
The event will take place from 1 to 8 p.m. and is free to the public.
State Sen. Bobby Powell is one of several lawmakers who supported legislation to make Juneteenth a state holiday in Florida.
“It’s significant because it says to the next generation of kids that you matter and you come from people who struggled immensely to get to where they are and to get you to where you are today,” Powell said.
