Lyons Township will host its first Juneteenth celebration Wednesday evening, June 17, featuring dinner, speeches, and a musical performance aimed at educating residents about the federal holiday and strengthening community bonds.
The event runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 6404 Joliet Road in Countryside. Township Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg will open and close the gathering, which includes remarks from attorney Patrick Daneka John, Pastor John F. Harrell, and artist Antonia Ruppert, along with a performance by musician Momma Kemba as Harriet Tubman.
Hoffenberg said the event reflects the township’s commitment to inclusion.
“As we host our first-ever Juneteenth gathering, we do so with the belief that every member of our community deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued,” Hoffenberg said. “Strong communities are built when we take the time to learn from one another, honor our different experiences, and come together as neighbors.”
The CommUNITY Diversity Group of La Grange Area and the Lights on Collective are co-organizing the event. Marian Honel-Wilson, president of the diversity group, said many people know Juneteenth is a federal holiday but may not understand its significance.
“It’s important to remind people that it’s all about freedom from enslavement, which was not really that long ago,” Honel-Wilson said. “It’s not just freedom from enslavement, but it really is freedom to be included, freedom to participate.”
Juneteenth signed into law in June 2021 by former President Joe Biden, commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas learned of their freedom — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
April Kates Ellison, founder and CEO of the Lights on Collective, said understanding that history is essential to preventing it from repeating.
“In order to make progress, you have to understand the historical perspective of freedom, particularly as it relates to Juneteenth in the African American community,” Ellison said.
Artist Antonia Ruppert said the holiday’s core message centers on mutual care.
“Juneteenth is about taking care of the vulnerable,” Ruppert said. “Being empowered to help each other, care for each other, that’s what it’s all about.”
The evening will include dinner, speeches from community leaders, and a Juneteenth-themed bingo game led by the Lights on Collective.
“At its heart, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, hope, and our shared humanity,” Hoffenberg said. “Our hope is that this event not only commemorates an important chapter in our nation’s history, but also strengthens the bonds that connect us and reminds us that we are at our best when everyone has a seat at the table.”
To attend, email mprice@lyonsts.com or call 708-482-8300, option 4.