Juneteenth Monday celebrated by Alaska Black Caucus and Anchorage Chamber of Commerce

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce’s Make It Monday forum held its first celebration of Juneteenth Monday in Downtown Anchorage.

Slides projected on a screen above banquet tables at the Dena’ina Center highlighted some of the contributions Black Americans have made to the world, from astronaut Mae Jemison to computer engineer Mark Dean and Gwendolyn Brooks, the first Black woman to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize.

President and CEO of the Alaska Black Caucus Celeste Hodge Growden opened the luncheon with a land acknowledgment before Shiloh Baptist Church pastor Rev. Gwuana Thomas led the group in prayer.

Part of the festivities included the presentation of the Ebony Awards. Monday also marked the first time the forum has held a Juneteenth event, and the first Juneteenth since the Anchorage Assembly passed an ordinance making the day a paid municipal holiday.

“We all know that this is more than just a day off. This is the acknowledgment and space to celebrate this holiday together,” Hodge Growden said to a packed crowd. “To take this day to reflect, educate, and celebrate as a community in light of the ongoing impacts of events and harmful rhetoric that spread globally and nationally — even here in Anchorage.

“Having the ability to celebrate these holidays is not only impactful but imperative. Today, we look forward to a bright future while remembering the inequities of the past.”

Chamber President & CEO Bruce Bustamante preceded Hodge Growden by sharing the importance of inclusion in fostering economic growth.

“The Anchorage chamber recognizes that diversity, inclusion, and equal access to economic resources are not just moral imperatives but also catalysts for growth and innovation,” Bustamante said. “As we celebrate Juneteenth, I urge each of you to reflect on how we can build a stronger, more inclusive economy and more inclusive community.”

Anchorage Assembly chair Christopher Constant read the thirteenth amendment to the constitution and shared the inequalities that face Black Americans. Constant then pledged his support for the Equity Center while encouraging others to do the same. The center still needs about $500,000 in funding, said Constant.

“We heard that there are an unprecedented number of tables in this room, and half of them have CEOs here,” Constant said. “CEOs, you have the ability to make a decision to invest in equity in our town — today.”

Copyright 2023 KTUU. All rights reserved.