Asheville, North Carolina What's Up AVL!, 17 Jun 2022

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From YouTube: What's Up AVL! – Episode 09

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June 17, 2022

Sam Parada, Communication Specialist with the City of Asheville, discusses the history and importance of Juneteenth with Marcus Kirkman, the City's Equity and Inclusion Consultant. Marcus explains the history of Juneteenth, as well as the impact of the holiday.

A

It's now time for what's up asheville sponsored by the city of asheville with the host mr sam peratta, and here he is.

B

Good afternoon nashville welcome to what's up asheville at wrs radio, 100.7 fm a radio show discussing projects and initiatives of the city of asheville with our employees. Now today you might be wondering who's speaking to you. My name is sam ferrara, I'm the communication specialist with the city of asheville and I'll, be your new host starting this program, and now, with me, I'd like to introduce my colleague and friend, marcus kirkman, he is the equity inclusion consultant for the department of equity and inclusion with the city hi marcus.

C

Hello, sam and good afternoon, asheville, truly a pleasure to be here with you.

B

Thank you it's my pleasure really to have you speak with me today now. Could you introduce yourself a little more, maybe briefly tell us what you do at the city and what you have been doing so far.

C

Absolutely again, my name is marcus kirkman. I am the equity and inclusion training consultant for the city of asheville.

C

I get the opportunity to serve in this capacity by training our staff, our leadership, all employees, boards and commissions on diversity, equity and inclusion, not only the concepts of what they made, but also taking a look at our policies and our practices and our procedures, ensuring that we're approaching uh being of service and ask for in a way that is equitable for all people.

B

Yeah, that's very important feeling included in any sort of workplace environment is always very important, and I appreciate the work you do now marcus today. You know we are halfway through june and we are reaching a very special important date for the community, more specifically the african-american community, uh which happens to be juneteenth on june 19..

B

Now I would like this discussion to be a learning experience for me and for anyone listening as to what juneteen is about what we can do as a community, why? It is important.

B

So if you wouldn't mind just giving me a quick walkthrough of what they represents.

C

Absolutely I really appreciate this conversation sam because it is such a vital, critical conversation, an opportunity for all of us before I get into that I'll. Just take a moment just to spend a few moments, highlighting my lived experience and how this plays into joan taint. So I grew up in a small town here in north carolina and if my learned experience was like the majority of other persons of color's learning experience, juneteenth was not in the history books.

C

um We were taught about america's freedom, you know from england in 1776 and we celebrated that uh july, the 4th every year, every year without fail. We look forward to that. So now, much later as a as a learned, man and individual get exposed to jung tank, realizing that there was a freedom that occurred.

C

um That was not spoken about and left out of the history books. So it is so much more than just a day. It is really taking a look at what freedom means for people of color and how that's been left out of the history books.

B

I completely agree, you know me myself. I feel somewhat ashamed to have just recently found out about juneteenth in general over the past couple of years and you're absolutely right.

B

We were never taught about this in school and it's very hard to find places that speak about it in depth and when I first learned about juneteenth, I thought that was emancipation day when lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation and that became you know in in my ignorant view at the time I thought that was young teeth, but recently, thanks to you, I've learned that that's not the case, and please tell me the big importance in knowing the difference between these two dates.

C

Absolutely so january, the 1st 1863 is when the official announcement was made by then president lincoln, to get the word out to all the masses, the entire country and say we are abolishing slavery. We are now invoking emancipation proclamation, all the slaves, those considered slaves are to be free.

C

This is january 1st of 1863, two years later june, 19 1865 two years to get the word uh to galvinston texas, to those slaves that you are now free and what's really incredible, when we take a look at this sam because there may be a frame of thought out there to say well, we didn't have the internet out there. We didn't have this fast line of communication.

C

All that may be well and good, but when we take a look at it taking two full years 24 months to let someone know that you are free. These individuals were still working the lands, they were still enslaved. They were still being deprived for two four years and it really begs into question how much freedom, even in 2022, where really means to those people of color.

B

I completely agree, and I mean it must have been such a relief and surprise but as well as that feeling of. Why did it take so long?

B

And what does freedom actually mean for the average freed slave at the time and how that has impacted its way through history in our country, because we can celebrate freedom, and you know the last piece of slavery being taken away in the country, but I I do believe there's much more to be done.

C

And in that moment, I'm really glad that you brought it up about this celebration right because, as we follow the history of uh africans who were enslaved in the black community who was enslaved, there's always been an incredible sense of community amongst us, even in the most difficult arduous times.

C

When things are very dim, I almost seem hopeless. We find a way to find that light and persevere and be resilient. So now june, 19th 1865 we're getting this message. We are free, and in that moment the celebrations begin that we are free, we're no longer bound to live in these conditions and when we look back on that, it is such a sacred moment to be celebrated for everything that had been endured up until that point and to still celebrate today in 2022.

B

uh The impact has been tremendous. I I believe that. But that brings me to a point that I thought of recently thanks to you, and that point is that some people might not feel a connection with juneteenth and this could range from any race. Any background like I don't know if you can hear my accent, but I am not bored. I was not born here in the united states, but I am now a citizen, and you know this. This history of the country affects me now too.

B

So the point I'm trying to make is you know those people who might fight against juneteenth being celebrated those who don't understand it and those who don't think it's part of american history.

B

What what can we do to to pass that message across and say, hey yeah? This is a very important moment and should be celebrated by everyone, not just the black community.

C

Great question that I absolutely welcome when we take a look at the current state of our country across the board. We see that there is a lot of violence. We see that there's a lot of hatred. We see that there's a lot of intentional evil acts being acted against persons of color.

B

C

I don't think that that's by accident, I think that it speaks to the question before us. What can we do? I think that we have an incredible opportunity, as a country and as a people number one to look out and accept and acknowledge and embrace the differences across our humanity and our differences are not a threat.

C

Our differences actually are an opportunity for us to learn and understand about somebody's different lived experience about their different cultures about how they came to be who they are, because these are differences that really make us what we say: the united states of america, this quilt of different fabric, different colors. So I think one incredible way that all of us have is just the willingness to look out and see the humanity in all people and then for those groups of people who fall into a particular category.

C

Category be willing to learn, become curious about what is their lived experience? What is their story? What is their people story? Because all of us have a live story. That's still playing out today in 2022.

B

Beautifully said, thank you, marcus and yeah that the history of this country is the history of everyone who lives in it and juneteenth. That should be something that everyone should be proud of. The fact that we finally took that step to get rid of something as evil and horrible as slavery, so yeah. Thank you. Thank you for the description.

B

um Now I wanted to touch a little bit more on the present times. You know.

B

uh Juneteenth was recently as early as last year, passed as a federal holiday by the united states and from what you've told me, however, young teen has been celebrated prior to that. So please tell me, you know the ramifications, the impact that making that federal holiday means for the black community.

C

Yeah great great question, so I lived in charlotte for about 25 years and I moved to charlotte in 96 and and I bring that up only to be to your point of your question. It was around 98.99.

C

When I first heard about juneteenth celebrations right, I heard about it- there was a gentleman in charlotte who put on an event every year and I became curious juneteenth just for me on a personal level right, having lived the experience as a black man when I went down and I started to learn about juneteenth and the history, just me as an individual, it opened up something in me that wasn't there before, because I had always associated freedom with 1776.

C

Of course, did not know the story of galveston texas and june 10th, and everything that happened. So when I started having conversations with other people in the community around jim team, there was a sense of pride, a greater deeper pride and appreciation for 1865 versus 1776.

B

That's good to know, I mean I bet you know being born and spending your life, not realizing your own history and finally getting acquainted with it and learning more.

B

I mean I can only imagine the feeling, but now that it's recognized in the entire country. How did that make you feel.

C

Yes, and- and I really appreciate the phrasing when you said my own history- I really appreciate that, and I say that uh there's great appreciation for that, because up into that moment that I learned about uh juneteenth.

B

C

What I realized was there was even so much more to my own history that I was unaware. It was almost a bittersweet moment because I said well what the first question that came was: why was it not in the history books?

C

The very next question was: why did I not see it in my own community growing up right, and why am I just learning it now and what I realized was unless it is really showing up on a mass level in the history books, and I learned experience coming up- we don't know about it, so now that it's a federal holiday, what that means for me and those that I've had the opportunity to talk with the community is just this tremendous appreciation, respect and love for our ancestors and even greater appreciation for what they endured up until that point and that on in that moment, june 19th 1865, they made the declaration we are going to honor this day, for we are going to make sure that this story is told, and so knowing that our ancestors had done that it leaves with us today an incredible opportunity, responsibility to continue telling that story and that narrative.

C

So it is known for the generations to come.

B

Yes, I I'm hoping that from now on, children in schools start learning more about moments like this in history moments that have been overshadowed by just different narratives and for kids to grow up and have the opportunity to feel more involved with their own past, because there is certainly something that, as I mentioned, I in venezuela where I was born, I give myself a pass for not knowing, but you know once I moved here, I want to middle school high school here college and it's just recently that I learned the the the impact of juneteenth.

B

But that being said, you know, juneteenth has been celebrated for over a century. Now, what are some things from your experience that that people do to celebrate.

C

Yeah, it's one of the one of the things that immediately comes to mind when we think about uh june 10 are the african drums.

B

African drums.

C

The african drums are part of this celebration, and that is such a significant, symbolic part of the celebration.

C

The african drum was more than just a means to communicate music and make music and sounds. The african drum was also a way to send messages amongst the villagers. To you know, transport make sure those messages were known to the people and now, when you go to juneteen celebrations, you're definitely going to see and hear the african drums somewhere in the midst. It's the way of honoring our ancestors.

C

um You will see the um our african ancestry decor with the reds and the yellows and the greens very.

B

C

Very colorful very expressive, very energetic, you're, going to see a sense of community you're, going to see that and experience that sense of coming together of celebration, you're going to see that and experience and feel that that honoring freedom for us that there was a there was a different freedom that we can speak to, that we can language that we can say that this really happened.

C

uh Food there's going to be food right.

B

Now everyone loves food.

C

Everybody loves food right, but you're going to see our foods out there as having a good time and and if you, if we notice that anywhere, there's a strong sense of community there's, also food present food and community go hand in hand. They helped create this one.

B

Yes, it does. um How much have you partaken into the african drums.

C

I actually have the opportunity to travel to senegal, oh back in the 2000s and one of the things that I was able to purchase. There was an african drum and uh I love that truck right. It's a sacred thing, and uh here in asheville we have the drum circle. Yes right that happens on friday night. So I love going to listen to the drums right. It just puts you into this groove and then I enjoy connecting with spirit in that way, myself.

B

I love that you said that the drum is a sacred tool to you a sacred item, and that brings me to a very important question, which is how the community, the the community outside of the black community.

B

How welcoming uh are how welcomed are they to participate and learn with you and participate on the on the events, the food, the drums, the the the clothing?

B

um I I don't know I would love if, if the drums and the food and the events are as contagious as your sense of pride on juneteenth or right now to me, I would love to participate. I just don't know if I would be respectful enough.

C

You know what uh sam two two things there at least two things that transcend all cultures, all races, all backgrounds, one is music- has a way of piercing through any perceived differences that we may have, because we just enjoy music and then the other is love, not the emotion of love but the spirit of love and when the spirit of love is present.

C

All the welcome all are welcome in that environment, whether it's the african drum, whether it's the food, the sense of community just being together as human beings, absolutely welcome. I.

B

Love to hear it, and I hope that everyone listening takes a moment to learn and even join in any sort of events your community is holding participate, be let everyone know that you are there for them, no matter what and I truly truly love everything you have mentioned so far. Marcus are there any last bits of words, you'd like to say about argentine in general or just to the to the listeners with us today? I.

C

Would um first of all thank you for holding the space um for me and for us our audience today like to share that.

C

One of the very important aspects of community is storytelling being able to tell your story and on june 19 1865, there was no facebook. There was no twitter right. There was no instagram. There was no fast speed communications to share that message.

C

June 19th 1865. What we had was everyday superheroes who saw the value in that moment, and they decided that we are going to honor this moment. We're going to celebrate this moment and we're going to tell this story now, a hundred years later.

C

I'm sure at that time they didn't know everything that would transpire, but what they did know is we're going to mark this day and we're going to continue to tell this story to our generations.

C

So my invitation for all of us is that we continue to be storytellers that we continue to have those conversations with our families, with our friends with our colleagues with our communities with our children to actually spend time and tell those stories so that they in turn, can turn around and continue to tell those stories and we're not dependent on an outside entity. To tell that story for us, because what we see is that it may not show up in the history, books, grandma or granddaddy your uncle or mom, or dad told you that story.

C

That is your living history book within you that you can now share with someone else. So I encourage all of us to be storytellers and to be good ancestors.

B

Thank you very much marcus and thank you for telling me your story. I wish we had more time today to continue. I would love to hear everything you have to say and learn even more about just anything that you could offer me, but we are running out of time now again marcus. Thank you so much for joining me today. uh Marcus works for the equity and inclusion department and please email him. If you have any questions or concerns.

B

If you want to learn more, I'm sure I'm sorry for overstepping, but I'm sure you'll be happy to take your email. I would okay now before we go um in the spirit of equity and inclusion, I do have one quick announcement for the an event that the city will be hosting in the upcoming months.

B

uh This is a call to all artists and creatives. The city of asheville is launching art in the heart, a new project to hold temporary public art that will support the production of up to 10 projects in pack square plaza.

B

The artist proposal must embrace the theme of social equity and inclusion and respond to the following two questions. What should score, I'm sorry, what should pax square plaza, look and feel like in the future, and also what stories haven't been told or represented in downtown nashville, yet stipends range from 500 to 1500. If you wish to participate and the deadline for applications is august, 1st, please visit ashevillenc.gov public art to learn more and to apply.

B

This would be a perfect opportunity to change how we see pax square plaza and to have the community and the local artists show what they have and what they can do, as well as tell stories that have not been yet told and well, that's all the time we have for today for what's up asheville. Thank you so much for listening.

B

Please don't forget to participate in the different projects that we have in the city and stay informed about our latest news. Please visit our website at ashvalenci.gov to learn more about our different departments and what we can do for you now stay tuned and we'll be back to talk about another city project in the near future. Right here at wres, 100.7 fm take care asheville. Thank you.

A

You've been listening to what's up asheville sponsored by the city of asheville, in collaboration with wres 1.7 fm. This program will re-air every monday, wednesday and friday at 12 30.. Thank you for listening.