Y LO
JUNETEENTH
CELEBRATION
Sunday, June 2, 2024
In 2021, after 155 years of many celebrations, President Biden announces that Juneteenth (June 19) is officially a federal holiday.
Yolo Juneteenth is proud to have been a faithful celebrant with our community for the past nine years.
This year we invite you to celebrate with us at the
UC Davis ARC
Sunday, June 2, 2024.
Yolo Juneteenth Festival is supported, in part, by the Yolo County Library, UC Davis Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Umoja, an HHSA Cultural Competency Workgroup, the Friends of the Davis Public Library, the City of Davis Human Relations Commission and Arts & Cultural Affairs Program and Yolo County Office of Education.
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Check our site regularly for more information on featured performers, vendors and sponsors.
Free Family Event
Please note that our celebration takes place early to honor and not interfere
with the local Juneteenth festivities happening in surrounding cities on
the day of the holiday.
UC DAVIS ACTIVITIES & REC CTR
DIRECTIONS TO THE
UC DAVIS ARC
From San Francisco
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Take US-101 S via the ramp to Oakland/I-80/San Jose
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Take the exit onto I-80 E toward Oakland (Partial toll road)
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Slight right at CA-113 N (signs for CA-113/Woodland)
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Take the Russell Blvd exit toward Davis
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Turn right at Russell Blvd
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Turn Right at La Rue Rd
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Turn Left at Orchard Park Road
From Sacramento
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Take I-80 W
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Take exit 70 to merge onto CA-113 N toward Woodland
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Take the Russell Blvd exit toward Davis
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Turn right at Russell Blvd
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Turn Right at La Rue Rd
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Turn Left at Orchard Park Road
Master of Ceremony
Kairis Chiaji
Kairis Chiaji is a Birth Doula, Educator/Advocate, Consultant, Doula trainer and mentor who is passionate about her Baby Got Back Up Birth Support Services. As a Birth Griot she is on a mission to lower infant and maternal mortality and morbidity in the African American and other at risk communities by increasing the number of culturally humble and relevant birth workers, helping them grow their businesses in this field, and mentoring them in civic engagement. As a professional and community doula, she also provides birth support, education, and advocacy for birthing families. Kairis began her practice as a birth coach in 1999 in Sacramento and continues to serve in Northern California. She and her global cohorts know this humble and hard work saves lives. Her motto: There are millions of unplanned pregnancies but there NEVER has to be an unplanned birth. In that vein, she serves any family in need.
Main Stage
AGGIE BLACK EXCELLENCE
STUDENT PANEL
"AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS"
MODERATED BY IDEA STUDENT INTERNS
BOOKTALK "MAKINGS OF A PROJECT QUEEN"
BY DENISHA "COCO" BLOSSOM
MODERATED BY DR. EBONY LEWIS
Succulent explores the tensions, joys, and struggles of navigating the world in a plus-sized Black body. Through her journey, Janeesa experiences the blessing of community and love while fiercely battling a world that routinely dismisses and discounts her. A revelation allows Janeesa to foster growth amongst nature, like minds, and soul ties.
Succulent investigates the intersection of “fatness”, Blackness and womanhood. Plus-sized Black women often experience jarring juxtapositions: feelings of invisibility and hypervisibility, social isolation and fetishization, fatphobia and toxic body positivity, to name a few. Succulent aims to address these, while embracing radical joy, multigenerational love, and the tumultuous journey of growth and healing; Succulent lives in the space between these realities.
CAST
LOCAL AUTHORS
Special Guest
SOMATIC HEALING & DRUM CIRCLE
All ages are encouraged to attend our somatic healing and drum circle sessions throughout the day for those who need a safe space to ease traumatic challenges. Meditations will be facilitated by Tessa Smith of the Health and Human Services Agency and West African Master Drummer Mamadou Traore.
