A Juneteenth reconciliation vigil at Salt Lake City’s International Peace Gardens blended drumming, storytelling and calls for unity as community leaders emphasized healing, reflection and resistance to political efforts to roll back diversity and inclusion across Utah.
Utah's Juneteenth celebrations concluded June 28 with a reconciliation vigil, focused on healing and remembering the ongoing journey toward equality and equity. The event began with "calling the tribe," a drum ceremony honoring African Heritage, led by local actor Everest Spencer, as well as a brief history of Juneteenth in Utah.
Juneteenth started as a holiday in Texas to commemorate African American slaves receiving their freedom in Galveston, Texas, in 1865.
Betty Sawyer has advocated for the Utah community to celebrate Juneteenth for 36 years through her nonprofit, Project Success Coalition, a grassroots organization with the mission to be a voice for African American needs in Utah, as well as providing community services to promote local arts and education.
“It is a celebration of history, culture, liberty and us being the hopes and dreams of our ancestors,” Sawyer said. She explained that Juneteenth acts as a second Independence Day for African Americans, bridging the gap between July 4 and the delayed freedom of enslaved people.
“When the first Independence Day was declared, Black people were considered three-fifths human,” Sawyer said. “That was an economic decision, and we weren’t included in the Declaration of Independence. Juneteenth is our day to mark liberation.”
Bridges were the main focus of the event, with speakers emphasizing that reconciliation begins with building connections and building up the community.
Charlotte Starks, also known as Mama Charlotte, president of Nubian Storytellers of Utah (NSOUL), called on participants to consider what freedom means in their own lives and to acknowledge the lingering wounds of racism.
“A lot of us need healing,” Starks said. “Some of us may not even know we need it. But for all the negative energy and treatment we’ve received for over 400 years, it’s almost impossible for it not to impact us. That’s why we have to spend time reflecting on who we are and why we believe what we do.”
Starks called for more honest conversations about race and equity, urging Utahns to challenge discrimination rather than avoid difficult topics.
“99.9% of human beings are the same,” said Starks. “It's important that we spend time and just reflect on who we are, and why do we believe what motivates us and seek that personal healing so that we can then go forward and do some of the things that we need to do in our families and in our community and in the world.”
Some participants felt that the recent political landscape is sliding backwards when it comes to having their voices heard, as diversity and inclusion become politicized.
“Our ancestors accomplished so much; they brought us to this point,” Gerad Sawyer, a local attendee and husband to Betty Sawyer, said. “Now we’re living in a day and time where people are just trying to undo it. If we keep going in every big circle, we’ll never catch up again.”
Gerad Sawyer said building understanding starts with listening without defensiveness and standing up for what is right.
“Most of us want to belong,” Betty Sawyer said. “But if I stand up and speak up on your issue, I fear being ostracized. That’s the work we have to do, be willing to stand for what is right.”
The event also highlighted the symbolism of the Juneteenth flag. Sawyer explained that the flag’s design, created by the late activist Ben Haith, includes a white star representing Texas — the Lone Star State where emancipation was announced — and a burst around the star symbolizing a new beginning for African Americans.
“The horizon shows new opportunities and a new future,” Sawyer said. “The colors mirror the U.S. flag to remind us that we are American.”
She noted that recent legislation in Utah banned flags other than the U.S. and Utah state flags on public buildings, preventing many Juneteenth flags from being raised this year. She said she plans to petition against the legislation to reverse the decision.