WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —
The 6th annual Juneteenth Unity and Black Excellence Festival in West Palm Beach will take place Sunday at the Meyer Amphitheater, celebrating Black culture, history and legacy while inspiring the next generation of leaders.
Teenagers Kylie Smith, Kahdence Bell, and Patrick Robinson are among the young participants in Palm Beach County who are embracing the event’s mission.
Kylie, who hopes to attend a historically Black college or university (HBCU), said, “I just want to know that I’ve left a sense of significance in my community.”
HBCUs from across Florida will be present at the festival, offering students like Kylie the opportunity to connect with current leaders.
“It’s a big family reunion vibe,” said Sukeenah Kelly, co-leader of Juneteenth of PBC Inc. “We’re calling it homecoming because we’re bringing everyone home again. Black culture, Black history, legacy, home.”
Kelly, a Florida A&M graduate, and Brittany McAfee have been leading the Juneteenth celebration push for years. The two said they’ve seen value in celebrating what many in the Black community consider their Independence Day. Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom, years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The event, which started with about 1,000 attendees, now draws upward of 5,000 people.
“It feels like a big family. So leaving that legacy for every generation to see what we can do together is amazing,” McAfee said.
In addition to the celebration, Kelly and McAfee have created Globally and Culturally Curated, a teen entrepreneurship program that connects participants to history and empowers them to create opportunities.
Patrick Robinson, one of the students involved, said, “I think Juneteenth is very inspirational. When we became free, we didn’t have that many opportunities, but we made new opportunities for ourselves.”
Kahdence Bell added, “Black people, we don’t have a lot just for ourselves. And I feel like Juneteenth is specifically for us. Juneteenth is a state of mind. It feels like a spirit that stays with you.”
The festival will run from 5 to 10 p.m. on Sunday and includes a special performance by Young Joc. Organizers encourage attendees to wear gear from their HBCU. Ticket prices vary, but kids eat free
