In honor of Juneteenth, BYU invited the surrounding community to gather at the Helaman Fields on June 19 to foster remembrance and unity.
The BYU Sorensen Center partnered with the psychology department and the Black Student Union to host an event celebrating the rich cultural legacy of Juneteenth.
The Helaman Fields were transformed for the celebration, complete with a freedom walk with informative signs on Juneteenth’s history, a raffle with prizes, festive food and a letter-writing station to send words of encouragement to future students.
The night’s celebration kicked off with a performance by BYU’s dance and vocal group, Rhythm N’ Soul Collective, singing the praise song "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
Anthony Bates, managing director at the Sorensen Center, gave remarks highlighting Juneteenth’s significance.
“Juneteenth is about remembrance,” Bates said. “It’s also about responsibility. We have to listen, care for and learn from those who we have historically considered ‘the least of these.’”
Bates illustrated the significance of the day by explaining the parallels between the biblical and historical need for freedom.
Bates told Moses’ exodus story in Egypt in connection with Harriet Tubman’s journey to free slaves in the South. Tubman was nicknamed after the biblical prophet by the famous abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison.
Bates also connected the plight of freedom with struggles found in the Book of Mormon, where in the face of bondage the prophets called the reader to simply remember.
“They did this because we have a God given duty to alleviate suffering and prevent it from continuing,” Bates said.
Remembrance was a clear point of the day’s celebration in order to honor the rich history the day represents.
“We don’t just celebrate our wins, we celebrate our heritage and where we come from as people," said Jasmin Mujadadi, student lead at the Sorensen Center.
The idea for this celebration has been years in the making. It came from a student employee at the psychology department in the formerly known "Diversity and Equity committee" before the Sorensen Center even began.
“It has grown and grown into something I never could have dreamed of,” Justina Ababio said.
Ababio said that struggling to connect with her culture at BYU has only grown her love for BYU and allowed her to find a unique community here.
“I can’t deny that I have met people here that have changed me for the better and so giving this event back to the community has become my ‘thank you letter’ to them,” she said.
After the performance and inspirational remarks, the crowd was free for the rest of the evening to play the field games, explore the gallery freedom walk and enjoy the food provided.
After a night centered on fostering an attitude of respect and awareness for the legacy of African American culture, the attendees were left with a call to action to inspire further change.
“May we all strive to remember and accept responsibility for the legacy left to us by those who strove to defend the Constitution,” Bates said.