Join Us For JUNETEENTH: CELEBRATING FREEDOM in Kettering
Two Days of Special Programs Highlighting the Arts and Our Community
Tuesday, June 18, Rosewood Arts Center, 5 - 8 pm
Wednesday, June 19, Lincoln Park Civic Commons, 5 - 8 pm
Free Admission and Open to All
Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom is presented by the City of Kettering Board of Community Relations and the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts department.
TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 5 – 8 PM
The Art of Nikki Giovanni: Film, Art & Discussion
Rosewood Arts Center, 2655 Olson Drive, Kettering, OH 45420
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize in the Sundance U.S. Documentary Competition, this beguiling documentary follows poet and activist Nikki Giovanni as she approaches age 80. The film explores Giovanni’s Afrofuturist-feminist philosophical outlook as well as her poignant relationship with her family, her political audacity, and her poetic eloquence. Giovanni acts as our guide and narrator, looking back at a personal life and history cast in the long shadow of American racism, and looking forward toward hopeful, possible futures. Featuring the voice of Taraji P. Henson. (2023, Runtime 1 hour 36 minutes)
Nikki Giovanni is so cool… Just being in her presence is more than enough.
– Christy Lemire, FilmWeek
Schedule of Activities
5:00 PM Reception
Art Activities with Jamaal Durr
Pop-Up Library featuring the writings of Nikki Giovanni from the Dayton Metro Library
5:30 PM
Remarks begin in the Rosewood Theatre
Kettering City Schools MLK Essay Winner Video Screening
5:45 PM
Film Screening: "Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project"
7:30 PM Facilitated Discussion with Dr. Queen Meccasia Zabriskie, Naykishia Darby & Jamaal Durr
About the Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom Program Facilitators
Naykishia Darby is two-time Alumna from Thee Jackson State University, in Jackson, Mississippi, where she received her Bachelor and Master of Arts in English degrees. In addition to her foundational background of English, she has also completed coursework towards her Doctoral Degree in American Culture Studies, focusing on Ethnicity and Gender Identity at Bowling Green State University, located in Bowling Green, Ohio. As a native of Forest, Mississippi, attaining an education was instilled in her at a young age, and as such, she made it her goal to share her passion. As an advocate for diversity and equity, she focuses her research interests on the LGBTQ Student experience at the Historically Black College and/or University (HBCU), Performance and the Black Woman exotic dancer, Black Women’s literature, and gender identity/expression in Black Women performing artists. With over twelve years of teaching experience, Professor Darby brings excitement, knowledge, and genuine connections to her classes. With her scholarly and creative pursuits, she has served as panelist, presenter, and moderator at several academic and social conferences. She has published scholarly and creative works in journals such as Black Magnolias and books like Meeting Points in Black/African Women’s Literature. Because of her love, support, and advocacy of HBCUs, she served as a contributor to HBCU Lifestyle, an online space dedicated to all things HBCU. She is the creator, host, and co-producer of the series, Thee Cardigan Professor!, which airs on WCSU.
Jamaal Durr, a Contemporary Artist, is recognized for his mixed media works and portrait drawings. Using materials like oil paint, charcoal, and graphite, he explores themes of masculinity and self-reflection through his timely narratives. Durr received formal training at Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton and briefly studied architecture at Pratt Institute. His artworks have been exhibited at renowned galleries including The Contemporary Dayton, ADC Fine Art Gallery in Cincinnati, the Columbus Cultural Arts Center, and the Springfield Museum of Art where he has a seat on the Curatorial Affairs Committee.
Dr. Queen Meccasia Zabriskie is currently the Acting Director and a Resident Fellow at the Coretta Scott King Center for Cultural and Intellectual Freedom and a Visiting Associate Professor of Social Sciences at Antioch College. Dr. Zabriskie has spent the past 11 years of her career at New College of Florida where she is an Associate Professor of Sociology and core faculty in Theater, Dance and Performance Studies. During her time at New College, Zabriskie co-organized campus-wide Black History Month celebrations; served on the Gender Studies Steering Committee; was the co-director of the Initiative on Diversity and Equity in Academics (IDEA); and worked as the Interim Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Dr. Zabriskie also held the MacArthur Endowed Professorship from 2019 to 2023, and she received a Unity Award from Sarasota Magazine in 2020. Zabriskie received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Northwestern University and her B.A. in Economics and African and African American Studies from Duke University. Zabriskie’s primary teaching and research interests include race, class, and gender; intersectionality; social inequality; Black feminist thought; qualitative methodology; sociology of dance; performance studies; and cultural politics and performance in the African Diaspora. Zabriskie is co-author (with Dr. Harvey Young) of Black Theater is Black Life: An Oral History of Chicago Theater and Dance, 1970-2010, which traces the development of Black theater and dance communities in Chicago, IL.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 5 – 8 pm
JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL
Featuring LUV LOCZ EXPERIMENT
Lincoln Park Civic Commons, 675 Lincoln Park Blvd, Kettering, OH 45429
Kettering’s family-friendly Juneteenth celebration features food trucks, local vendors, crafts for kids and the amazing LUV LOCZ EXPERIMENT! This Dayton-based, reggae-infused, funk ’n soul band brings a unique sound and the perfect energy to the celebration! From original music to their own twist on favorite tunes, you’ll be transported to the islands to dance your troubles away.
ALSO FEATURING:
Dayton’s Top Notch Drumline
INVADE CHH
Raffle for YMCA Family Membership
The Dayton Metro Library Bookmobile
RTA Kettering Bus
Food Trucks
Local Vendors
And So Much More!
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
GREATER DAYTON RTA
MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
MIAMI VALLEY FAIR HOUSING CENTER
MCGOHAN BRABENDER
THE MODERN COLLEGE OF DESIGN
THE REALTIST
VENDORS:
DIAMOND DAIQUIRIS
SWEET P’S HANDCRAFTED ICE POPS
SCOODY’S BBQ
D FISH & D CHICKEN
TRAVELIN’ TOM’S COFFEE
BEAUTY BY DANI
POMMIE’S SOAPS &THINGS
KETTERING BACKPACK PROGRAM
YMCA
WE CARE ARTS
CARESOURCE
SICKLE CELL CENTER AT DAYTON CHILDREN’S
MIAMI VALLEY FAIR HOUSING CENTER
LIFE CONNECTIONS OF OHIO
The City of Kettering Proclamation on Diversity
Kettering is home to people with varying backgrounds, incomes, religions, ethnicities, ages and experiences. It is a community that strives to be a welcoming, safe place where everyone feels valued. The City of Kettering denounces racism in all its forms. Beyond merely acknowledging the history and existence of racism in the United States, we continue to focus on strengthening equity in our local institutions, policies and programs. We affirm a commitment to anti-racism, fairness and justice for all of our citizens, neighbors and visitors.
What is Juneteenth?
While the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, had freed enslaved people in all the Southern secessionist states, change wasn’t instant and word traveled slowly. In June 1865, Texas was the last remaining state in the Confederacy to still hold institutional slavery. On June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston to take control of the state and proclaim freedom for the enslaved people of Texas.
In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday, which President Biden signed into law on June 17, 2021. Kettering officially recognized Juneteenth as a holiday in 2022.
We’re so glad you’ve joined us to celebrate the essential importance of our shared freedom, because as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “No one is free until we are all free.”
About the Event Organizers
The Board of Community Relations promotes and encourages the creation and maintenance of an inclusive community by fostering equal opportunities for all persons. The Board is made up of volunteer community members who use their time of service to engage with the community through activities such as movie showings, annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. essay contests and more. For more information visit www.ketteringoh.org/board-of-community-relations
The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department provides quality parks, recreation and cultural arts that make Kettering home. As a department and a city, we strive to provide equitable and meaningful access to all of our services. We work closely with the City of Kettering’s Compliance and Inclusion office, the Kettering City Schools, and various community partners to ensure opportunities for all people. For more information, visit www.playkettering.org
Special thank you to those who made this program possible:
Kettering City Council:
Peggy Lehner, Mayor
Jacque Fisher, Vice Mayor, At Large
Jyl Hall, At Large
Lisa Duvall, District 1
Bob Scott, District 2
Shane Sullivan, District 3
Bryan Suddith, District 4
Matt Greeson, City Manager
Mary Beth O’Dell, Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts
Tom Robillard, Planning and Development Director
The Juneteenth Planning Committee:
Bryan Suddith, Council Liaison to Board of Community Relations
Calvin Frazer, Operations Coordinator, Fraze Pavilion
Tawana Jones, Board of Community Relations
Shayna McConville, Division Manager of Cultural Arts
Gwen Owen, Board of Community Relations Chair
Angela Rahman, Staff Liaison to Board of Community Relations
The City of Kettering Proclamation on Diversity
Kettering is home to people with varying backgrounds, incomes, religions, ethnicities, ages and experiences. It is a community that strives to be a welcoming, safe place where everyone feels valued. The City of Kettering denounces racism in all its forms. Beyond merely acknowledging the history and existence of racism in the United States, we continue to focus on strengthening equity in our local institutions, policies and programs. We affirm a commitment to anti-racism, fairness and justice for all of our citizens, neighbors and visitors.