Dear Hupy and Abraham,
From Northcott Neighborhood House, we would like to thank you for your support of the 2015 Juneteenth Celebration! With your help, the event was a great success and we were able to honor the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth with fun and fanfare like never before.
In 2015, all of our Milwaukee Juneteenth traditions continued to thrive. Ahnette Kmanda, Junior from Rufus King High School, was the winner of the annual Miss Juneteenth Pageant. Along with the 4 contestants, she participated in classes and trainings to encourage her educational, personal, and social wellbeing. Additionally, there were over 150 vendors in the various booths at the festival, ranging from community organizations, to food, clothing, and traditional African dance and arts vendors. The parade, which traversed over 1.5 miles along Atkinson Ave., included over 50 participating groups and had a great turnout of viewers from the community. We are thankful to Milwaukee police for ensuring the safety of the parade route, as well as cooperating with Juneteenth security for a trouble-free event.
This event is truly a “community” event and would not happen without your support. Juneteenth remains a beacon of hope and pride in the African American community and in Milwaukee at large. By honoring the day that the last slaves heard of their freedom outside of Galveston, Texas, we carry forward the African-American narrative and build our community around this story of freedom. In your support for this event, you have become an ally and advocate to that story. Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
McArthur WeddleExecutive Director
