In an attempt to address violence following the city’s annual Juneteenth celebration Wednesday, a new initiative called This 4 The City is hosting a Juneteenth after-party of sorts.
Milwaukee’s last two Juneteenth celebrations were overshadowed by violence that occurred once the events ended.
Last year’s festivities came to a violent end after a mass shooting by a teenager left six people injured.
In 2022, several fights broke out and shots were fired as the Juneteenth celebration ended, injuring a woman near 5th and Burleigh streets.
This year, This 4 The City, or T4TC, is hosting a A Day of Peace and Unity festival that aims to provide a safe alternative for the community after the city’s 53rd Juneteenth Day festival concludes on Wednesday.
“Many young people aren’t tapped into why Juneteenth is important,” said Vaun Mayes, a community activist who is spearheading the T4TC event. “It’s just an event to them because no one is making them a part of it. This is an attempt to make them a part of it.”
Juneteenth, which is celebrated on June 19, commemorates the day the last enslaved African Americans in the United States learned they had been freed in 1865.
About the Day of Peace festival
The Day of Peace celebration is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Washington Park Bandshell, 4599 W. Lloyd St.
The event’s main purpose is to provide a safe and positive environment to educate the community about Juneteenth’s history and importance, according to organizers.
Entry is free and the evening will be filled with activities, resources and live performances by Milwaukee musicians, including 414BIGFrank, JP, Myaa P, MT Twins, StevedaStoner and 414Kennedi.
A catalyst for collaboration
Mayes is also founder of Program the Parks and is working to change the narrative surrounding negativity in Milwaukee.
Program the Parks MKE is a group that focuses on providing services and programs to disadvantaged, central city youths by transforming community spaces like parks into activity hubs.
Mayes collaborated with Mech Harper and KB Barrell to plan the T4TC event and galvanize the community around keeping this year’s Juneteenth celebration positive and educational for Milwaukee youths.
Harper is an executive producer and Barrell is a marketing specialist. The two have worked in the Milwaukee music scene for several years and believe in using the influence of music to cultivate a relationship with youths.
“I believe music can be used to tackle issues in the city,” said Harper. “If a song can make people come together and dance, regardless of what it’s about, it’s had an impact.”
Mayes said the negative events of the last two Juneteenth celebrations were a catalyst for this collaboration.
While the Juneteenth festival offers a space for teens, Mayes said it doesn’t work to just pile a bunch of kids into a space.
“My experience has taught me that our youth know what they want and what they like,” he said. “And if you don’t engage them in the process, they will disengage.”
How can you help?
You can sign up here to volunteer at the Day of Peace celebration.
Mayes said moving forward, the best way to help is to stay informed about what’s happening in the community and remember that the best way for a community to thrive is to engage the wisdom of elders while cultivating the minds of young people.
“We should be the narrators of our own stories,” Harper said. “This event is the beginning of that.”
For more information, you can follow T4TC on Facebook or Instagram.
About Milwaukee’s Juneteenth celebration
The day begins with the Juneteenth Parade starting at 9 a.m.Wednesday followed by opening ceremonies at 11 a.m. The parade starts at North 14th Street and West Atkinson Avenue, travels south to King Drive, then east to Locust Street. The street festival runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and takes place on King Drive between West Concordia and West Center streets. The festival includes food, vendors, music, games, community resources and more. The parade and festival are hosted by Northcott Neighborhood House
In case you missed it: Celebrating Juneteenth: Milwaukeeans share what it means to them
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
