The NAACP Pasadena branch will host the Second Annual Juneteenth Roller Jam on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. in front of City Hall to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday while educating the community about its significance.
“Juneteenth is a day to celebrate the end of slavery in the United States,” Allen Edson, President of the NAACP Pasadena Branch, told Pasadena Now. “It’s also a day to reflect on the progress that has been made in the fight for racial equality, and to recommit ourselves to the work that still needs to be done.”
The holiday commemorates the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, and announced that more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state were free by Presidential order. The newly freed people in Texas called this day “Juneteenth.” Juneteenth is now celebrated in all 50 states and is a federal holiday.
The NAACP Pasadena branch is a longstanding civil rights organization that works to promote racial equality and social justice. The organization is involved locally in a variety of initiatives, including community health, economic development, and affordable housing.
Edson said the NAACP Pasadena branch is committed to working with the community to address the challenges that still exist for Black Americans.
He highlighted economic development, affordable housing, and community health as some of the key challenges for the Black community in Pasadena.
In an interview with Pasadena Now, Edson outlined the NAACP’s involvement in addressing these issues, including collaborations with the business community on local hiring for development projects, working with the Pasadena Public Health Department on health disparities, and partnering with affordable housing developers to increase homeownership.
“We know that there is still a lot of work to be done,” Edson said. “But we are committed to working with our community to create a more just and equitable society.”
The Juneteenth Roller Jam is free and open to the public. The event will feature music, food trucks, booths, and roller skating.
Homegrown and Black-owned brand Pasadena CLSC is the official event merchandise supplier and will be selling exclusive tees, truckers, and roller skate tags.
For more information, visit the NAACP Pasadena branch website.
