TRAVERSE CITY — Education, elevation and engagement are the pillars — and the e’s — of Northern Michigan E3 and have been at the forefront since the organization’s founding in 2020.
The group’s Juneteenth celebration embodies those beliefs in an all-ages block party from 3-10 p.m. June 19 on the Northwestern Michigan College campus.
Crystal Woodward-Turner, a new member of Northern Michigan E3 Council, is looking forward to contributing to E3’s sixth Juneteenth celebration. Having previously been involved with the past two Juneteenth events as a speaker and singer, this year brought new experiences to her as a part of the planning committee alongside Marshall Collins, Damian Lockhart, Chris Stone and Marcus Bennett, on the council formerly known as the Up North Anti-Racism Taskforce.
“Hosting Juneteenth events allows us to acknowledge and share accurate history while cultivating a strong sense of community by creating an informed foundation and a bridge that honors both the struggle for freedom and ongoing efforts toward racial equality while celebrating historical achievements and freedom for all,” Woodward-Turner said.
Events also include a 3 p.m. screening of “Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America.” Written and directed by Jeffery Robinson, based on his research and presentations regarding anti-Black racism across the United States, the film was chosen as a vehicle for people to continue informing their perspectives and perceptions of history and racism.
The idea is to come together as a community, allow people to speak on personal experience as it pertains to to confronting racism in the community and discuss actionable things to do about it, said Dennos Audience Engagement and Communication Manager Chelsie Niemi.
“… This is not something that’s happening somewhere else. It is happening here,” said Niemi. “We have a responsibility to learn about it, and this is an opportunity for people to do that. We’re doing a screening so people don’t have to search for a film to learn about these issues — they can come here, they can do it for free, and they have an opportunity to learn about something that they might not have otherwise known about before.”
The screening is scheduled in conjunction with the block party happening across the greater campus, organized primarily by NMC’s Special Assistant to the President on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Dr. Marcus Bennett. Additionally, the museum is open for free admission, giving community members the chance to explore many of the permanent exhibits held at the Dennos Museum.
“I think a lot of times, people look at complicated issues and think, ‘I don’t know where to start.’ This is a good place to start. You can take in new information, and you can learn from people around you. You can be part of the community in these types of events, and from there, E3 has action steps on their website, so there are things for people to do to get involved if they feel inspired to do so,” Niemi said.
The event puts special emphasis on truly having an activity for any age, from the film screening to the Family Freedom roller skating event and children’s book reading, to the presentation from keynote speaker Byron Books, a Detroit resilience champion.
“We hope to strengthen our shared values and deepen our connection to one another through tradition and intergenerational activities that promote compassion, empathy, and knowledge of history by fostering unity, resilience, and hope throughout the entire community today and forever. There will be something for everyone at this year’s Northern Michigan E3 Juneteenth event, and everyone is invited to join in the celebration of this meaningful observance,” Woodward-Turner said. “The entire E3 Council has worked diligently towards a day that will cultivate joy through a celebration of freedom and love of humanity as we engage, educate, and elevate our community in an authentic and meaningful way.”