The Rochester branch of the NAACP hosted its 20th annual Juneteenth celebration.
(ABC 6 News) – The Rochester NAACP hosted the 20th annual Juneteenth celebration at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Rochester on Saturday.
The holiday commemorates the end of slavery in America, and is a time for the community to come together in joy.
People attending the festivities immersed themselves in diverse food vendors, games and live cultural performances.
However, the event was also an opportunity to shed light on the challenges of racism still present in the country today.
“When it comes to equity, when it comes to racism and discrimination, that we need to do that together, and so that’s our main message today. We’re gonna celebrate as a community, but we have work to do,” said Wale Elegbede, the president of the Rochester NAACP.
The celebration also included a moment of silence following the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers earlier in the day.
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Elegbede says he hopes the celebration will be able to spread accountability to hateful actions, to not only those in the African American community, but everyone, going forward.
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