With music, art and community, people across Connecticut celebrated Juneteenth at various events across the state.
In Bloomfield, a parade and concert on Saturday kicked off a weekend-long celebration.
"It's wonderful that people are coming out. Not just to celebrate, but to remember the struggle,” said Suzette DeBeatham-Brown, a Bloomfield town councilor. “To remember everything that our ancestors went through, to help us to be at this place. It was just joyful."
"Throughout the state, I can feel that there is a sense of pride with all of the planning of the Juneteenth celebrations,” said State Representative Bobby Gibson.
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In Hartford, co-owners of Berkins Cafe hosted their inaugural Juneteenth gala. It was a party with a purpose. The gala was a fundraiser for the Berkins Family Fund, which will help provide grants for nonprofits.
"We wanted to give back to the community in a meaningful way,” said Andrea Hawkins with the Berkins Family Fund.
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The gala marked a moment in history while also helping the community move forward.
"Think about how to help us continue to make progress and what do we all need to do and how do we all need to help each other to make that progress,” Hawkins said.
