Islanders gather at Juneteenth Community Celebration

As the vibrant sounds of Hit Explosion filled the air, people jumped to their feet and danced away the June 19 afternoon at Mercer Island’s third annual Juneteenth Community Celebration at Mercerdale Park.

The sun was shining bright to welcome an abundance of attendees at the crucial educational and unifying four-hour event that was hosted by the Mercer Island High School (MIHS) Black Student Union (BSU) and sponsored by the city of Mercer Island.

According to Juneteenth.com and a state of Washington proclamation, Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery. “From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond,” the Juneteenth.com site reads.

Prior to Hit Explosion heating up the event, the MIHS jazz quintet Groove Fusion offered a set of solid tunes along with DJ Teddy’s stellar setlist. The gathering also featured face painting and a balloon artist, the MIHS drill team, Black-owned food trucks, 88.9 KMIH The Bridge and an array of booths spotlighting art, handmade jewelry, African American history books, community resources and more.

While passing out waters to some attendees on the hot day, BSU adviser Kelly John-Lewis said the event gets better every year.

“It’s about a celebration, just building community, building a sense of connection. Just to bring a better view on our differences and just to know that we are all different. We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are, but yet that doesn’t mean that we can’t come together as one,” said John-Lewis, adding that people should enjoy each other’s differences.

MIHS rising senior and BSU member Andrew Pollock feels that organization has a stronger presence at the school each year with bigger assemblies and videos during advisory periods and more posters lining the hallways.

As the Juneteenth event kicked off, Pollock visited with the Reporter and noted about the gathering: “I’m hoping to achieve importance that African Americans still have in the community. Coming from the high school, you know there’s not a whole lot of us and people sort of forget that we’re here. We have our culture and I think the celebration we have here going on for the last few years is a really good way to show that we have culture that we can share with the whole community, too.”

Later in the day, BSU adviser Valerie Perine informed the crowd that Pollock received the Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award from the University of Rochester (New York). Through the scholarship, Pollock is eligible to have all application fees waived and is eligible for merit scholarships worth $5,000 per year, according to Perine.

Joy Rurangwa, a rising MIHS junior and BSU member, said the main purpose of the Juneteenth event is “to have Black people and white people and all the other races in between be in community together, celebrating something that happened way back in 1865 but have a more joyful lens.”

She said the day is for dancing, eating and celebrating the summer and sunshine, having everyone unite during a volatile time and share happiness together.

In the BSU realm, Rurangwa said the organization has made an impact at the school and in the community. BSU members have fun together, educate others and “it’s to also have time to settle down and just be our authentic Black self.”

Rurangwa said that while people are educated, “It’s still good to be reminded that Black people do exist, and even though we’re in your classes and we’re normal, there’s still like stuff that we need to work on on the Island.”

Chantel Torrey, who is MIHS’s robotics adviser and a ceramic/metal/jewelry teacher, was showcasing student-made art in one booth with donations going to Mary’s Place to help families experiencing homelessness in Seattle and King County.

“I think it’s really important for us to get out into the community and show our support for these kinds of celebrations,” Torrey said.

Over at the Congregational Church on Mercer Island booth, pastor Rev. Jennifer Castle added about their reason for attending the event: “We’re hoping to show our support and to communicate to the public that racial justice is a spiritual issue for us and it’s something we feel really strongly about.”