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Recommendation to increase appropriations in the General Fund Group in the City Manager Department by $5,000, offset by the Eighth Council District One-time District Priority Funds, transferred from the Citywide Activities Department, to provide a donation to the Long Beach Partners of Parks in support of the Long Beach Juneteenth Celebration; and
Decrease appropriations in the General Fund Group in the Citywide Activities Department by $5,000, to offset a transfer to the City Manager Department.
DISCUSSION
On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and informed enslaved African Americans of the Civil War’s end and the Emancipation Proclamation, signed two years prior, which granted them their freedom. In celebration of this momentous occasion, Juneteenth was born. The holiday has since been celebrated annually by Black Americans throughout the United States with festivities honoring Black culture through music, dance, food, and congregation. In 2021, President Biden established June 19th as Juneteenth National Independence Day, the first federal holiday created since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
This year, the Long Beach Juneteenth Celebration will be held on Saturday, June 18, at Rainbow Lagoon Park in downtown Long Beach. The program includes local and international talent telling the story of Black Americans through song and dance. Attendees will also enjoy a curated vendor village, dance lessons, food trucks, and children’s activities.
Organizers of this event aim to bring thousands of visitors to our City this summer and establish Long Beach as the premier destination for people celebrating Juneteenth. While it is a celebration of Black culture in the United States, this event will also serve as an educational opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about the holiday and those who celebrate it. I am requesting the Council’s approval to lend my support toward this important and inclusive event.
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