Juneteenth in NYC
- 3 hours ago
- 7 min read
By: Kelsi Bowen
Juneteenth celebrations in New York are relatively new compared with the holiday's long history in the South, they have quickly become anticipated cultural events. This year, young people from across the city played a leading role in creating spaces that celebrated Black history, culture and community while bringing people together.
Juneteenth commemorates the effective end of chattel slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863.
Thrift2Death, who was founded by two Gen Z entrepreneurs in July 2021, has hosted events in New York City, Philadelphia and Connecticut, showcasing local designers, clothing vendors and independent brands. This year, the organization celebrated its second annual two-day Juneteenth event. The first day, held June 19, was presented in collaboration with Awake NY, the New York-based streetwear brand. The second day, on June 20, took place at Olly Olly Market, where shoppers browsed vintage, Y2K and designer clothing, jewelry and accessories from more than 30 Black- and people of color-owned businesses.
The collaboration with Awake NY hosted 23-year-old grillz designer Ibn Sadat, TattoosbyCake, rapper Jay Critch, free screen-printing offered by Neils and their associate Jack Meilleur, and Jamaican food vendor, Taste of Jamaica 876 which offered a free plate of food from those who bought screen-printed shirt's. The patrons and owners of Thrift2Death all had the same reasons for hosting and attending the event: to celebrate Blackness and community. “We’re just trying to put on for the community as much as we can,” explains Neils. “We’re celebrating the culture,” McGeachy elaborated.
In addition to serving as a fashion marketplace, Thrift2Death features live performances by local musicians and DJs, creating an atmosphere that blends shopping with community and culture.
Co-founder Neils said the organization relies heavily on community connections when selecting performers.
"A lot of it is word of mouth and being outside," Neils said. "The performers, vendors and DJs—we found out about all of them through word of mouth."
That grassroots approach was echoed by DJ lil2hood, who performed a live set from 1 to 4 p.m.
"My friend performed at the last event," lil2hood said. "The owners of Thrift2Death had been wanting to book me, so it was like, 'You're here—let's do it.'"
The friend, artist Johnny Based, said returning for this year's Juneteenth celebration was an easy decision after performing at a previous Thrift2Death event.
"I actually performed at the last Thrift2Death event, so coming back was a no-brainer," Based said. "We have lil2hood on the DJ booth, who's a very good friend of mine. So not only am I celebrating Juneteenth, but I'm also celebrating some really talented artists."
For many young New Yorkers, Thrift2Death's Juneteenth celebration offered more than a shopping experience — it created a space to reconnect with the city and celebrate Black culture alongside peers.
Chiaka, a recent graduate of Williams College and a Canarsie native, said attending the event helped her rediscover what she had missed while away at school.
"I'm 22. I just graduated, and I left New York for college, so I really wanted to fall back in love with the city," she said. "I wanted to meet other young Black people in the area, make new friends and engage with the city in a new way."
Chiaka said life at Williams College was markedly different from growing up in New York City.
"It's very white," she said. "Black students make up only a small percentage of the population, so being back here feels very different. I missed the hodgepodge that is New York."
According to Williams College, Black students made up between 5% and 7.9% of the student body during the 2025-26 academic year.
Chiaka attended the celebration with friends Zahra and Aniya, both rising seniors at Williams.
"I'm a very proud Black American Mississippi roots, Chicago raised so my family has always celebrated Juneteenth," Zahra said.
Aniya, who identifies as Afro-Caribbean, said learning about Juneteenth deepened her appreciation for the holiday.
"I didn't really know the history of Juneteenth until about five years ago," she said. "I think it's important. Black pride is something that should always be celebrated."
Grillz designer Ibn Sadat, founder of Grillz by Ibn Sadat, began crafting custom grillz in 2021. He has since become a regular collaborator with Thrift2Death through his friendship with one of the event's founders.
"I'm close friends with one of the owners, Chris," Sadat said. "He usually invites me to his markets and collaborations with Awake."
Sadat believes his work as a grillz designer naturally aligns with the celebration of Juneteenth because it challenges longstanding stereotypes surrounding Black culture.
"For a long time, having gold teeth has been stigmatized in Black culture," he said. "One thing I want to change in movies and television is that you always see the villain with gold teeth. But really, it's just a part of our culture. It's creative."
For Sadat, grillz represent more than fashion they are an expression of heritage and artistic freedom.
Rebel Roots: The Family Reunion
"When I think about my ancestors," he said, "creativity is freedom."
Avenue4Anything, also known as AvenueA, is a Brooklyn-based creative collective and community-driven organization founded by Yanna and Kaela. They specialize in organizing events, markets, and musical showcases to uplift independent Black and queer BIPOC artists and entrepreneurs. For Juneteenth, they hosted their second annual “Rebel Roots: The Family Reunion” at Loudmouth Brooklyn from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission was free from 5 pm to 8 pm. After 8 pm, admission was $5.
Brown Sugar Bounce Block Party
Founded by Alexis, aka DJ Classic New Wave, the Brown Sugar Bounce Block Party has been running since 2021 and is celebrating its fifth installment this year. The event features DJs, local vendors, card games, and a large community turnout. Hosted along Wandering Barman Street (Bogarde to Meserole/Waterbury) in Bushwick, Brooklyn, the Brown Sugar Bounce has gained recognition online as the city’s “ultimate Black family reunion.” Vendors and attendees of all ages come together to celebrate generations of Black music, art, and culture.
Briana Saintt is the owner of Free Plants World, an initiative she started in 2020 to give out free plants to her community. The Atlanta native was invited by her close friend Alexis, founder of the Brown Sugar Bounce, to be a vendor. “We have given out almost 2,500 plants to date,” she explained. Saintt says Juneteenth inspires her with feelings of “freedom. Sometimes you don’t know when it’s going to come, but it’s always available to you.”
Young people eager to celebrate Juneteenth didn’t limit their festivities to Friday. Friends Lindsay, Oluchi, and Billie attended the block party to connect with their community and reflect on the theme of “freedom,” which they feel embodies Juneteenth. This was Lindsay and Oluchi’s first time at a block party, and Oluchi shared, “The fact that it’s a celebration of Black culture makes it more special. So much history with it. It’s not a made-up holiday, as people say online—there’s so much history to it.”
Oluchi is right: systemic pushback against diversity initiatives has led many to dismiss Juneteenth as an official holiday. Only about 40-55% of U.S. companies observe it as a paid holiday, compared to 96% that recognize the Fourth of July with paid time off.
Despite the ongoing fight for recognition, hair sculpture artist Renee, behind R.O.W.S. by Renee (Revolution of Women and Sisterhood), paid homage to Black icons through hair art at the Brown Sugar Bounce. “Everything we do is seen as an act of resistance,” she said. “Why not make it fun? Why not make it an ode to the ancestors?”
More young attendees at the block party came to celebrate and enjoy the outdoors. “It’s Juneteenth weekend! Knicks just won, it’s hot as hell—like, come on! It’s summer in NYC, and you have to be outside,” said Shana. Aaliyah added, “I’m here to be in community with my people. I’m Black American. My grandparents came here as enslaved people, so today I’m celebrating freedom and the innovations our people made.”
Shana continued, “As a Caribbean American, we have to recognize that Black Americans started the movement we benefit from. Juneteenth is a Black American holiday—specifically a Texan holiday—so you have to celebrate and show allyship.”
The block party brought together community members of all ages, vendors, consumers, and Ghanaian-American fashion icon Ava Tocloo. “It’s the day after Juneteenth, but we’re still celebrating,” she said, raising her voice over the NOLA bounce music in the background. “It’s about honoring everything Black Americans have done and everything that’s tried to be taken away, but they managed to rebuild and be proud of their Blackness. They were taught to be ashamed of it— I think we all feel that way as Black people—but it’s about reclaiming it.”
The sentiment of reclamation was echoed across all the young attendees of Juneteenth events over the weekend. Winnie’s sentiment was no different: “I can see everyone [ancestors] back then looking back at us and saying, ‘Yes, this is what I fought for; this is what I wanted– for my grandchildren to have this space. It doesn't matter who's around; my people feel comfortable celebrating together. It's comfort, it’s freedom, it’s Blackness.”
For more information about diasporic celebrations happening for the rest of the summer, check out Brooklyn Paper Events, for its upcoming African Arts Festival, and the Afro-Latino Festival and Ode to Black Fiddler Music Festival on Eventbrite.
