We Outside: Brooklyn Juneteenth Celebration with 651 ARTS and The Soapbox Presents

Brooklyn's Juneteenth Celebration

• 🗓️ The "We Outside: A Brooklyn Juneteenth" celebration, a collaboration between 651 Arts and The Soapbox Presents, is returning this weekend.
• 🎶 The event will feature a vibrant mix of live music, dance, poetry, and more, marking a significant community tradition.

Programming and Artistic Inspiration

• 🎤 Maya Abney, Founder of The Soapbox Presents, highlights the curated programming which includes marching bands, majorette squads, spoken word, and movement segments.
• 🍲 The day culminates in a traditional "soup session," a communal gathering.
• 🎨 This year's celebration draws significant inspiration from the legacy of Faith Ringold, a multimedia artist celebrated for her engagement with Black traditions.
• ✊ Ringold's own collective, "Where We At," founded during the Black Arts Movement for Black Woman artists, underscores the event's focus on Black expressive culture.

The Meaning of Juneteenth

• 🌟 Toya Lillard emphasizes Juneteenth as a celebration of resilience and perseverance, rooted in Texan traditions and the fight for freedom.
• 🌍 The holiday has become an opportunity for global education on the resilience of enslaved people and the enduring spirit of freedom.
• 🤝 Maya Abney views Juneteenth as a moment to celebrate national progress since the abolition of slavery while also collectively manifesting future freedoms.
• 🎭 Stoop sessions, initiated during the pandemic, aim to foster community, remember joy, humanity, and resist social unrest through shared artistic experiences.

Event Details

• 📍 The celebration will take place on the Plaza in downtown Brooklyn.
• ⏰ It runs from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Saturday.