Lively music and chatter filled the air as kids darted from place to place. Food trucks lined the parking lot, and arts and crafts stations and various activities decorated the center.
Santa Fe hosted its Juneteenth celebration at the Blount Center on Thursday. The downtown campus hosts classes for business programs and information technology education students.
Juneteenth remembers June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas heard the Emancipation Proclamation read aloud for the first time. They were the last group to hear about their freedom,according to Santa Fe — almost two and a half years after the proclamation was issued in Washington, D.C..
The Santa Fe College Association of Black Faculty and Staff has hosted a Juneteenth celebration annually since 2023.
The association wants to meaningfully partner with the community to honor every story, according to Santa Fe.
Shilah Carroll, an academic adviser at Santa Fe, attended the event for the first time. She said community events like Thursday’s celebration bring awareness to different groups in history.
“It shows the great things that we have offered here as a group of people and just really creates a sense of togetherness,” she said. “It's just a nice time for everyone to enjoy good food, fellowship and just community involvement.”
The Blount Center’s location in downtown Gainesville, an area home to several historically Black neighborhoods, made the event feel even more fitting, Carroll added.
The event featured local vendors who were able to advertise their products and services to the community.
Christina Vinson, a beauty consultant for Mary Kay, tabled at the event. She has authored a book and participates in a support group for housing, food and clothing called Restore Me Ministries. She took off work to celebrate the special day, she said, and she was most excited to interact with the community and enjoy the entertainment.
“I think it brings people and cultures together, and for everyone to understand what it is for, Juneteenth,” Vinson said.
Chevon Johnson, the owner of Hope Grace Faith boutique, also tabled at the event.
“I think it means a great deal to be able to celebrate your heritage and just feel good about who you are, and it's just nice to have this celebration,” she said.
Johnson has previously tabled at other Juneteenth events in the community, but it was her first time at the Blount Center. She said she was excited to try other local vendors, like Vegan Gator.
The event honored trailblazer Black historical figures and promoted services like self-care. Stretching from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., it ended with performances from the community.
Community members spoke about rewriting the narrative, some sharing poetry and storytelling from Black culture.
The event closed with a gospel inspiration performance, which used music to express the Christian faith and spread messages of redemption and spiritual healing.
Contact Tess Lippincott at tlippincott@alligator.org. Follow her on X @tesslippincott.
Tess Lippincott is a third-year journalism major, spanish minor, and meteorology and climatology certificate student. This is Tess' first semester at the Alligator and first time on the university desk. She also works as a deputy editor for WUFT-FM. In her free time, Tess loves playing pickleball, running, and reading. If she's not working you can find her with her roommates and friends.
