Hillcrest Community Celebrates Juneteenth

Residents and guests enjoying the festivities. Photos by Jackson Stahl

By Itiyopiya Ewart

The Women’s Wellbeing and Development Foundation (WWD-F) and Hillcrest
residents held the community’s first annual “Hillcrest Juneteenth”
celebration on Saturday, June 18, at the community park at Hillcrest
Apartments in Asheville.

Juneteenth commemorates the ending of slavery
in the United States. When President Lincoln signed the Emancipation
Proclamation in September, 1862, eliminating slavery effective January
1, 1863, it took half a year for word to reach many of the southern
states fighting in the Civil War.

Only on June 18 was official word
received when Union soldiers took Galveston, Texas; the next day the
Proclamation was read in Galveston, slaves were formally freed, and
staged a celebration in the city. Celebrations have been held on the
18th or 19th of June ever since, and Juneteenth is now observed in 39
states.

Christian Rap artist JaySolo performing during the celebration.

Hillcrest youth dancing at the celebration.

Kids lining up to play in the inflatable playground.

 
The free Asheville event showcased live performances by Hillcrest’s own HipHop group G.P.E., in addition to Christian rap artist JaySolo, West African Dancers featuring Nadirah Rahman, Spoken Word, a gospel choir, and dance performances from children who reside at the apartment complex. Among the many activities were a spades tournament, a three-on-three basketball tournament, special activities for children and door prizes—as well as free food for all.

The “Hillcrest Juneteenth” celebration was born of the Hillcrest community’s desire to have a community day event that would have meaning and instill pride in the neighborhood.

The Women’s Wellbeing and Development Foundation (WWD-F) is a local nonprofit with years of experience in international development. Currently WWD-F is conducting its Healthy Living Program for residents living in low-income housing neighborhoods in Asheville. This project has been successful in reaching the Hillcrest community with classes and activities including adult and children’s cooking classes, fitness, music and art classes, and a women’s discussion group through which women are empowered to make positive change in their lives.

For more information about WWD-F programs, contact Itiyopiya Ewart at (828) 255-8777, by email at [email protected], or by visiting www.wwd-f.org.