CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – The Black Business Expo and Juneteenth Celebration brought people together in Charlottesville on Saturday, June 20, creating a space for celebration, education, and connection.
The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center hosted the Black Business Expo.
“If you understand what Juneteenth means, for us it’s liberation and freedom, but it’s liberation and freedom for everyone,” said Andrea Douglas, executive director of the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center.
Douglas said the day is a way to share the story of emancipation and the steps and journey toward freedom.
“You can understand that liberation was a process, not just a single day and so that’s why we want to bring that process of people and them being in this place to light,” Douglas said.
Douglas said Juneteenth has been celebrated in the city since 2000, but the center’s Juneteenth Celebration started 10 years ago, corresponding with the start of the Black Business Expo. The events started independently, but came together over the past years to create the event that is seen today.
“We started it in 2017 as a direct response to the alt-right coming to town and everything that happened with their protests, with their rallies, and we wanted to come up with something that would uplift people,” said Ty Cooper, director of the Black Business Expo.
Cooper said giving businesses a platform makes a big impact. This year, 50 vendors came to the event, including small businesses, eateries, nonprofits and more filling the Jefferson School courtyard to connect and share their work with the community.
“It’s a giving event. It’s really a giving event to not just to the vendors, but to the patrons and to the people who are coming in who can celebrate, really celebrate, and they can feel the celebration,” Cooper said.
Throughout the day, the celebration was filled with music and community.
“Juneteenth is about how Black people have always been strong, and freedom is worth fighting for. And strength is never giving up,” said Sasha Adams, with the Miss Charlottesville Juneteenth Pageant.
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