Ypsilanti's annual Juneteenth celebration will run a full weekend this year, starting with a day of action on Friday, June 20. It will continue with music, vendors, a walk to bring awareness to sickle cell anemia, and a Juneteenth ceremony on Saturday, June 21. The event will conclude with a fellowship service and gospel concert by a Grammy Award-winning musician on Sunday, June 22.

Event organizer and Survivors Speak nonprofit founder Trische' Duckworth says the day of action is new this year. On Friday, Duckworth says a vigil will take place from 6-8 p.m. on the roadside near the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility, 3201 Bemis Rd. in Pittsfield Township, to "uplift" inmates who are struggling with health issues related to mold in the facility. 

On Saturday, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Michigan Chapter, will host a walk, rain or shine. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and the walk will start at 10 a.m. in the parking lot of the University Bank Commerce Center at 301 W. Michigan Ave. in Ypsi.

Also new this year is an Ypsilanti District Library-organized youth stage takeover from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, followed by the official Juneteenth ceremony at 1 p.m. After the ceremony, the headline act is Lady Sunshine and the X Band, with other performers including rappers Kid Jay and Prince Marc Jakob. The event will also feature vendor tables, family and children's activities, and food trucks.

On Sunday, two local pastors will be on hand for a 1 p.m. fellowship service with music by Grammy-winning gospel musician and Detroit native Fred Hammond. Duckworth says the committee that runs the event raised more money than ever before this year, making it possible to recruit a big name like Hammond.

"I'm so grateful for the money they raised, and that we can keep [the event] free for the community," Duckworth says.

Duckworth says that celebrating Juneteenth always feels important, but maybe more so this year. This year's Juneteenth event comes in the midst of federal attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; corporate defunding of Juneteenth activities across the nation; and slashes to federal departments that research blood diseases like sickle cell anemia.

"It's always important to uplift and move forward, but unless you know where you've been, it's hard to see where to go," Duckworth says. "We want to uplift freedom, because people's rights are on the line. It's important to uplift this and to not let legislators set the narrative for your history."

More information about the event is available at the Survivors Speak website.