Juneteenth: What, why, and beyond

Hometown, Alaska - Alaska Public Media

The Juneteenth flag was raised on June 11, 2021, at Anchorage City Hall. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media)

Juneteenth has been called America’s second Independence Day. But surveys show only about half of Americans know what Juneteenth is.

What exactly is Juneteenth? Why is it important, and how should it be celebrated?

With community leaders Jasmin Smith and Dino Allen, we will discuss Juneteenth’s history and modern-day significance on the next episode of Hometown Alaska.

HOST: E.J. David

GUESTS:

• Jasmin Smith is lifelong Alaskan business owner, community activist, and event planner. In addition to running Umoja Coworking, a business services space dedicated to empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs by supporting culture, collaboration, community and events; and Baby Vend LLC, she is the proud mother to six-year-old twins. She’s been a very active leader in the community and she has planned Anchorage Juneteenth celebrations for the past four years.
• Dino Allen came to Alaska in 1989 with a background in US. Army-Personnel Management. He’s a small business owner and President of D&D Productions, Inc., delivering entertainment to Anchorage in the form of comedy, music, and more. Dino managed Juneteenth celebrations on the Anchorage Park strip from 1993-2002. Currently, he provides advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs. He’s married to Hyacintha Allen, and they have two kids and one new grandson.

LINKS:

• http://juneteenthanchorage.com/

PARTICIPATE:

• Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2 to 3 p.m.)
• Send e-mail to [e-mail] before, during or after the live broadcast (E-mails may be read on air).
• Post your comment or question below (Comments may be read on air).
• LIVE: Monday, June 7, 2021 at 10 a.m.
• RE-AIR: Monday, June 7, 2021 at 8 p.m.
• PODCAST: Available on this page after the program.