♪♪ >> Mary: JUNETEENTH IS COMING UP AND EVENTS COMMEMORATING IT ARE COMING UP THIS WEEKEND.

THE RONDO CENTER OF DIVERSE EXPRESSIONS IS SET TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH WITH A NEW EXHIBIT AT THE RONDO COMMEMORATIVE PLAZA THIS COMING THURSDAY.

HERE TO TELL US MORE IS THE FOUNDER OF THE RONDO CENTER OF DIVERSE EXPRESSIONS AND CHAIR OF RECONNECT RONDO, MARVIN ANDERSON.

OKAY, WHAT'S ON TAP, THURSDAY?

[ Laughter ] >> IT'S A CELEBRATION.

>> Mary: YEAH.

>> IT'S A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM.

A CELEBRATION OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

IT'S A CELEBRATION OF JUSTICE.

AND IT'S ALSO A REMINDER OF THE ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY.

IN AMERICA.

AND JUNETEENTH THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL BE OUR FIFTH ANNUAL JUNETEENTH, WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT FOUR FAMILIES, AND THEIR JOURNEY TO RONDO.

WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE EARLIER THIS YEAR TO GET THE NAME RONDO RESTORED TO CONCORDIA AVENUE.

SO THE NAME OF RO RONDO JUST MEANS QUITE A BIT OF US.

>> Mary: IT'S RECLAIMING YOUR HISTORY?

>> YES, OUR HISTORY.

>> Cathy: SPEAKING OF HISTORY, WHEN YOU WERE A KID, THERE USED TO BE EMANCIPATION PICNICS BACK IN THE DAY.

THEY WERE IN HARRIET ISLAND IN ST. PAUL.

DID YOUR FAMILY EVER GO TO THOSE?

>> WE DIDN'T GO TO THOSE EMANCIPATION PICNICS.

BUT I DID.

MY FAMILY DIDN'T GO.

BUT I WOULD GO.

AND WE WOULD ENJOY OURSELVES.

BUT THE MEANING HAS TAKEN ON A NEW MEANING NOW BECAUSE IT'S JUNETEENTH.

AND WE'RE REALLY CELEBRATING THE DAY.

AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE CONVERGED FOR JUNETEENTH.

SO WE'RE PART F THAT NOW.

EMANCIPATION DAY IS ACTUALLY FOR 1863.

AND JUNETEENTH IS FOR WHEN THE SLAVES IN TEXAS WERE FINALLY TOLD TWO YEARS AFTER 1863 THAT THEY WERE FREE.

>> Cathy: AND WHAT'S IT LIKE TO HAVE THIS NOW?

IS IT OFFICIAL RECOGNIZED RECOGD HOLIDAY.

>> IT'S EXCELLENT.

IT JUST MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO PLAN SENATOR.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INFORMATION IS CORRECT.

IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR ALL LEVELS OF EDUCATION.

FROM YOUTH TO ELDERS.

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE ARE STILL CONFUSED ABOUT JUNETEENTH.

WHAT IT MEANS.

AND HOW WE CELEBRATE IT.

SO THERE ARE GUIDES, HOW TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY, HOW DO YOU GREET SOMEBODY ON JUNETEENTH?

>> Cathy: HOW DO YOU?

>> WELL, YOU SAY, HAPPY JUNETEENTH.

SAY, HAPPY JUNETEENTH TO ME.

I'LL SAY IT BACK TO YOU.

OR HAPPY FREEDOM DAY.

>> Cathy: OKAY.

>> PEOPLE CAN SAY.

BECAUSE FREEDOM IS REALLY THE EMPHASIS HERE.

BECAUSE IT TOOK TWO YEARS BEFORE THEY -- THEY WERE STILL WORKING.

I MEAN, NOT WORKING, THEY WERE STILL ENSLAVED.

>> Cathy: IN TEXAS.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT THE CONTEXT OF THIS NOW WITH THE ROLLBACKS ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, NATIONALLY AND IN OTHER STATES, NOT SO MUCH IN MINNESOTA, BUT PLEASE PUT THAT IN CONTEXT FOR US.

>> [ SIGHS ] HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE?

>> Mary: ABOUT A MINUTE NOW.

YEAH.

>> THIS IS A CELEBRATION.

AND D.E.I.

AND ALL OF THE TALK ABOUT D.E.I.

IS A DISTRACTION FROM THAT.

WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT GOING ON.

NOT JUST AFTER JUNETEENTH, IN JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, WE'LL BE DEALING WITH D.E.I.

>> Mary: DOES IT MAKE HARDER TO CELEBRATE OR MORE IMPORTANT?

>> MORE IMPORTANT.

MAKES IT MORE IMPORTANT FOR US TO CELEBRATE THIS IMPORTANT HISTORY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO DENIGRATE IT NOW.

THEY'RE TRYING TO USE D.E.I.

AND ATTACK THINGS THAT SEEM TO HAVE A RELEVANCE TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, AND IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

>> Cathy: NOW, GIVE US THE PARTICULARS OF JUNETEENTH, FREEDOM DAY.

>> WE'LL CELEBRATE IT AT 12:00 AT THE RONDO COMMEMORATIVE PLAZA.

THE RONDO AVENUE OU COMMEMORATIVE PLAZA IS THE ONLY PLAZA OF ITS TYPE IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE'RE THE FIRST -- THE FIRST CITY TO -- THE FIRST STATE, WHERE A PLAZA HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO FREEWAY DEVASTATION.

SO OUR PLAZA IS THERE.

AND WE HAVE 26 PANELS.

AND EVERY OTHER YEAR, OR EVERY SECOND YEAR, WE CHANGE OUT FIVE OF THE PANELS AND THIS YEAR, THOSE PANELS WILL BE DEDICATED TO FOUR FAMILIES WHO HAVE JOURNEYED TO RONDO.

SO THOUSAND THEIR ISTORY.