Lake Oswego's 2024 Juneteenth celebration centers student perspectives

Each year the Lake Oswego Juneteenth celebration continues to grow.

“Every year is building on previous years,” said Bruce Poinsette, Respond to Racism executive director. “Every year is an opportunity to put on the biggest, Blackest event in LO history. When I say that, I'm really saying the ability to not just make it a bigger event — more community partners, more aspects of the program — but also being able to really just play and showcase the breadth of the Black diaspora, both in Lake Oswego, as well as in the surrounding community.”

The fourth annual Juneteenth celebration includes music, dance, food and reflection, like years prior, but also offers a student-led panel organized by the Lake Oswego and Lakeridge High Schools’ Black Student Unions.

“The panel is focused on Juneteenth itself and how the community can better be there for its Black populations. I'm really excited just to see what the students’ thoughts are on how the city's doing so far and how the city can improve. Also also the positives of what our city's done and the positives of our cultural events,” said Chase Merrill, a Lakeridge junior and the president of the LHS Women of Color Alliance.

Lake Oswego Juneteenth is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 16 at Millennium Plaza Park. Performances and the main program begin at 12 p.m.

The event is sponsored by Respond to Racism, the City of Lake Oswego and the high schools’ black student unions. Juneteenth, June 19, is the annual celebration commemorating the end of slavery and is recognized as an official holiday in Oregon.

“I'm really excited about the student involvement, especially the student panel with the Black student unions at both Lakeridge and LOHS. I think that's just an awesome opportunity to showcase the perspectives of the students right now. When we think about issues, just looking at the anti-racism angle, they really are the epicenter of all this happening in the community,” said Poinsette.

The 2024 Juneteenth keynote speaker is Libra Forde, the executive director of the Women's Foundation of Oregon.

Forde was the interim executive director of Western States Center and led the effort in the North Clackamas School District to name its new high school after Adrienne C. Nelson, the first Black woman to serve on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

“We're always trying to find a keynote speaker that represents the community locally and Libra was a perfect example of that and focuses on dismantling injustice,” said Jamie Inglis, Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation community events & Luscher programming supervisor.

Music and dance performers include a rendition of the Black National Anthem by the Brown Sisters of Portland and the McDaniel High School Cheer Team.

“I've actually never been involved in planning a community event before, so I didn't realize how much work actually went into it, trying to get sponsors and other sorts of vendors to help support the event,” said Siena Riquelme-Cheung, a LHS junior and vice-president of the Lakeridge High School Women of Color Alliance. “Reaching out to different vendors that are Black-owned, or just willing to support the Juneteenth cause, I think that's been a really gratifying process, to see that there is that sort of representation for African-Americans within our community.”

Participating organizations include LHS and LOHS BSU, Library Rover, Project It Takes a Village, Word is Bond, Friends of Tryon Creek and Taking Ownership.

“This year, it's very personal for me because there's going to be a little bit of a tribute to my father, who recently passed,” said Poinsette. “He talked about the importance of investing and engaging with history and engaging with Black history — making sure that we're being very intentional about it.

“Being able to highlight my dad's words on that is very personal to me because he lived in Lake Oswego for 38 years. He was a member of the Development Review Commission and was part of the history of the city and specifically a contributor to creating change in Lake Oswego.”