St. John’s Communities Celebrate and Honor Juneteenth

St. John’s communities acknowledged Juneteenth with various celebrations this year. A fairly recently recognized federal holiday, Juneteenth commemorates the total emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865.  This came two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth acts as an annual reminder of our country’s past and a celebration of the Black American Community.

Residents waving their Juneteenth flags proudly

Resident Discussion and Education

St. John’s Home residents gathered for a discussion and spiritual service focused on the themes of freedom, equality, and inclusion. This celebration was led by St. John’s Home Spiritual Care and Therapeutic Recreation Departments.

Along with music, education, and readings — residents watched local news coverage of Rochester’s Juneteenth celebration that took place on June 14 in the Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

Employee Appreciation and Celebration

St. John’s Home EAC: Justin Kuczma, Tanya Henderson, and Pam Rhoden

Also at St. John’s Home, employees were treated to an iced coffee bar. At the tables were Juneteenth educational and local event resources, as well as festive pins and other goodies. Employees also had the opportunity to take part in a coloring contest centered around Juneteenth. This coincided with the St. John’s Home Employee Appreciation Commitee’s observance of Pride Month, which also provided resources and other free celebratory favors.

At St. John’s Meadows and Brickstone by St. John’s, the Employee Appreciation Committee provided educational resources and cake decorated with the colors that are associated with the holiday: red, black, green, and yellow. These colors are significant to the Pan-African Community, and each have a symbolic meaning in regard to Juneteenth. Red represents the bloodshed and sacrifices of ancestors, black is for the people and their strength, green is attributed to growth, and yellow signifies hope and justice.

More from the Juneteenth Celebration at St. John’s Home can be viewed here.

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