HERMISTON — The public is invited to bring a big appetite and get ready to have fun as the Hermiston Cultural Awareness Coalition hosts a Juneteenth Celebration.
The public is invited to bring a big appetite and get ready to have fun as the Hermiston Cultural Awareness Coalition hosts a Juneteenth Celebration.
It will feature a barbecue, childrenâs games and fellowship. The family-friendly event is Saturday, June 19 from 4-8 p.m. at McKenzie Park, 320 S. First St., Hermiston. There is no admission fee.
While there are picnic tables at the park, those planning to attend may bring their own chairs or blankets. People also can bring their favorite lawn games.
John Carbage, president of the coalition, said some area churches have partnered with them to coordinate the event. Juneteenth, sometimes referred to as Freedom Day, Liberation Day or Emancipation Day â is celebrated on June 19. It commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
The Pendleton School District needs solid leadership, and Briana Spencer is the right candidate to fill Position 7 on the board.
Briana is a strong leader. She believes in a community focus and investing in the future. She knows the issues, and she does not shy away from hard discussions. She would also bring some diversity and needed community engagement to the board.
Briana knows the community well and is invested in seeing it succeed. Sheâs grown up in the Pendleton community and attended Pendleton schools. She identifies with the community and its needs. She knows the challenges the community faces in educating its children in a changing world with limited state funding and a local economy where the hospitality industry and local businesses have been hit hard.
A virtual forum on race will take the place of Hermistonâs usual Martin Luther King Day Peace Walk this year.
The panel, held over Zoom, will take place on Monday, Jan. 18, from noon to 1 p.m. People can visit www.gohermiston.com that day to find a link and login information to access the event.
In the past, the Hermiston Cultural Awareness Coalition has planned a âpeace walkâ through downtown on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, followed by a gathering at First United Methodist Church to hear speakers and musical numbers and eat lunch. Jesus Rome, who is helping organize the panel this year, said a large gathering felt inappropriate during the pandemic, but given the countryâs protests and discussions on race in 2020 it seemed important to continue that work on Martin Luther King Day.