Juneteenth at Green Spring:
“Sowing Seeds, Growing Connections”
by Janis Woodward, Adult Education Coordinator, and Elizabeth Waugh, Youth and Family Education Coordinator, planned the event
Juneteenth at Green Spring. Pictured from left to right: Maya Alexander, Teri Speight, and Abra Lee.On Saturday, June 18 Green Spring held its first celebration of Juneteenth with an event for all ages that highlighted contributions of people of color to horticulture and ecology. Local racial reconciliation group members Jeanne Ayivorh and Carl Reid opened the program with moving acknowledgments of enslaved people whose names have gone unspoken and stories untold for too long, including those who lived and worked on Green Spring Farm. The energy, positivity, and emotion in the room was palpable.
Lunch was provided by Granddaddy’s Skillet Soulfood! A panel discussion featured environmental educator Maya Alexander, garden writer Teri Speight, and horticultural storyteller Abra Lee. All panelists provided important perspectives and insights, discussing the challenges and triumphs of Black Americans working in nature. Children’s activities focused on inclusion and representation, showcasing historical and present-day African American figures in horticulture and environmentalism. And a delicious lunch was provided by Granddaddy’s Skillet Soulfood!
Attendees and participants alike voiced the opinion that commemoration and celebration of Juneteenth should be held at Green Spring annually.
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Photo Credits: Granddaddy’s Skillet photo by Janis Woodward, all others by Don Sweeney, FCPA.
