A Juneteenth Celebration Sheds Light On Racism

According to the group, over 50 people attended the celebration.

MOORHEAD,- “I knew the cotton fields. I knew the plantations. Now, I see hope.”

Hope, Destiny says, for a future where black people are no longer killed or discriminated against solely for the color of their skin.

Juneteenth, she adds, represents just that.

“You’re celebrating the hope of freedom. The hope of coming out of Bondage. The hope that you don’t have to slave and that the struggle would be much easier,” says Destiny Holiday with Birthing of a Diamond.

Destiny Holiday says she has experienced racism ever since she realized what color her skin is.

But, there’s a specific memory that replays in her mind when she was a young woman in Georgia working as a housemaid for a white family.

“I remember getting hurt and I was hurting really bad on my feet, and I asked, I asked, can I go to the doctor? She said no, you cannot go to the doctor,” Holiday adds.

Holiday says that was back in the 70s, and although a lot of progress has been made, she and many others say there’s still a lot of work left to be done.

“Diversity is a big word. Diversity means a lot. So, if we can get diversity and unity in every community and across the world, I think this place would be much better to live in, and a non-fearful place for all,” LaTrina Bacon, the program coordinator at Birthing of a diamond said.

Holiday says seeing people from all walks of life coming together to support a community that has long endured hardships makes her feel like we continue to take steps into the right direction.

“It makes me feel really good. It makes me want to lay out and weep, because what I’ve seen, where I came from. I came from that place of white bathrooms, black bathrooms, white faucets. I came from that,” Holiday adds.

At the Juneteenth celebration people got the chance to listen to guest speakers, eat southern food and pray for the change they say is needed.