Today we’d like to introduce you to Sukeenah Kelly.
Hi Sukeenah, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Juneteenth of PBC, Inc. started off as a conversation between Brittany Mitchell and I back in 2017. We connected over so many topics including the social injustice our people continue to face everyday and how the effects of slavery have such a longstanding impact on us. We wanted to create a spiritual awakening amongst the people, and out of these conversation we birthed the Juneteenth Festival. Juneteenth is something not too many of us our taught growing up. We have celebrated the 4th of July for so long it’s embedded in our culture and we wanted to change that. So what started off as a conversation about a need for a Juneteenth Festival in Palm Beach County turned into an entire non-profit organization. We are now a collaborative group of like-minded individuals who have linked up to help build a vibrant community.
Our mission is to first commemorate Black history! Because if we won’t, who will! African American history is vital to the spiritual growth of our people. Maya Angelou told us, “If you don’t know where you’ve come from you don’t know where you’re going.” Next, we serve as the plug for our people, connecting the community to education, health/wellness, and economic resources to improve self-reliance. We have curated amazing programs launching soon that serve to combat the many injustices we face as a people. By addressing the systematic inequality that contributes to the seemingly infinite wealth gap, disproportionate health outcomes, and lack of educational opportunities, we hope to catalyze a shift in consciousness our people.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
LOL! No, this has not been a smooth road at all. Right now, we are a small team of six! We had the audacity of hope to start a non-profit organization in the middle of a global pandemic while simultaneously throwing our first festival! Most of us are novices in the non-profit sector so we are constantly adjusting and in a learning curve. We are faced with learning how to navigate being comfortable with being uncomfortable. But when we find ourselves discouraged, it is easy to reflect on the first few men, women, and children freed for the first time back in 1865. They got news of freedom and left from whatever plantation they were on and forged their way with strength, perseverance, and tenacity we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors! We got NEXT!
We’ve been impressed with Juneteenth of PBC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our people experience so many things we do not speak on enough. From microaggression, marginalization, and post-traumatic stress of socioeconomic oppression. Our programs speak to very heart of our issues. We believe our programs are unique and will impact the community in a major way.
Mindful ME! was curated to lessen the burden of receiving mental health support. We have partnered up with license Mental Health professionals that will provided services to teens, adults, and families in Palm Beach County 100% sponsored.
The Culture Clinic encompasses 4 different phases for high school juniors and seniors in Palm Beach County. The students will embark on a journey that will educate, build financial literacy, and ultimately connect them the continent of Africa! We aim to empower a generation of change agents.
The Culture Club is our way of empowering the adults in our county to take charge of their legacy. Through our workshops, adults in Palm Beach County will gain access to intricate knowledge in financial literacy, credit repair, home buying assistance, entrepreneurship, and health and wellness education.
As you can see our hands are full but with the help of our village these programs will serve the people for many years to come.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
I believe happiness is temperamental. I want my people to experience joy as individuals and as a community. I believe the secret to joy is to get rooted in who you are and being connected to the source. When Brittany and I started this organization, we had a vision to elevate the minds of Black people and serve to unify our people. MLK once shared, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is “What are you doing for others?” We hope that our time spent cultivating awareness and empowering the community to take charge of their destiny is life-altering. Seeing this come into fruition is happiness and joy in one.
Contact Info:
- Email: juneteenthpbc@gmail.com
- Website: www.juneteenthpbc.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juneteenthpbc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuneteenthPBC
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Grace Jones
June 11, 2021 at 5:07 pm
Great conversation Sukeenah. Keep doing what you’re doing to help our people understand our history. Great work that the other 5 in your group is doing as well.