People gathered to eat, celebrate and honor the contributions of elders in our community as a part of the Juneteenth celebration. The Twins Ports Juneteenth Celebrate Freedom will be on Saturday, June 18th, from 1-6 pm at Barkers Island in Superior, WI. There will be an event on Sunday, June 19th, from 1-5 pm at Central Hillside Park...Juneteenth Celebrating Black Joy.

In attendance for today's event was Senator Tina Smith...she shared an inspirational story that she got to witness last year when Juneteenth was signed into law. "Being present for the bill signing and watching our president Joe Biden come and kneel by the chair of Opal Lee of Texas…who is a long fighter to make this day; to commemorate Juneteenth as a federal holiday," mentioned Senator Smith.

Celebrating Juneteenth is more than the gathering...it is a time to look deeply look at how far we have come and acknowledge that there is still work to do. "The celebration for my ancestors that did not get an opportunity to leave the plantation! For me, it is that there is some freedom, but as a recognition that freedom is not freedom and it is not the freedom that we are truly looking for,” said McEntyre.

Chaquana McEntyre is the founder and president of Family Rise Together in Superior.

Friday was the first day of weekend events around the northland, recognizing the history of Juneteenth. The celebration started near the city hall honoring the elders in the community. "Without our elders...we have no blueprint...without our blueprint. We are recreating the wheel, and I don't believe in recreating the wheel, says McEntyre. That's why it's important to have positive relationships with our elders so we can get those stories."

To see the original post and read related stories, follow this link to the WDIO-TV website. https://www.wdio.com/duluth-minnesota-news/celebrating-juneteenth-honoring-elders-northland/6503247/