GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Amid the pop-up shops, parades, and performances happening nationwide and across West Michigan, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in America on Juneteenth, one local non-profit is celebrating freedom by pouring into the community and promoting education day-by-day.
For Nicole Applewhite, who's the Strategic Program Coordinator with the West Michigan National Forum of Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), the Juneteenth celebrations are a powerful reminder of her history, specifically her grandfather, who was a Grand Rapids trailblazer.
"My grandfather was William White Jr. Everything he did with the NAACP, with True Light Church, everything he did in the community that encompassed what Juneteenth is. It's about celebrating our emancipation, our growth, our economic freedoms," Applewhite said.
Now, she's following in his footsteps. On Monday, the NFBPA marked Freedom Day with an event focused on financial freedom and building black wealth. It was themed "Because They Did...We Can."
"Because they did, we can. And not just even, you know, all of our ancestors, but recent," said Applewhite. "After Black Wall Street, after that, what has happened in Grand Rapids, that has allowed us to be where we are today. And we want to solidify that in everything we do."
The event was all about access to the information necessary for success. Panelists from Black Wall Street of Grand Rapids and the NIA Centerdiscussed economic development, and author Graci Harkema, who recently published her memoir "Rising," described her experiences of being born in the Congo, during civil unrest, and then growing up as a transracial adoptee.
"By showing our younger people, because these people did this, you can do this because we have commissioners that look like us, you can run for office too. Because we have authors who look like us, you can write a book too," Applewhite said. "Whatever you want to do, there's space, and we want to make sure everybody knows."
The West Michigan NFBPA believes its important to recognize history, from slavery till now, in order to help the community prosper economically and emotionally.
Samarhia Giffel, the VP of Membership for the NFBPA, says learning from history can help to inform the next steps.
"We want to be policymakers, and going from learning that Juneteenth— you know the meaning of it. The slaves were free two and a half years before, you know, they knew about it" Giffei said. "We want to make sure that policy is recognized, policies changed. And then that way it gets out to the community when it's supposed to be."
But she also maintains it's about equality and equity. "Black citizens deserve to flourish in our economy, just like all of our other citizens."
Monday's event wrapped up at 8 p.m., but the Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives will display a special Juneteenth exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Library all month long.
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