Juneteenth Calendar of Events
The university’s third-annual Juneteenth Celebration will take place on June 10-19, 2023, starting off with the “Crossing Overtown” screening on June 10 at FIU's Frost Art Museum and culminating with a closing ceremony on June 19 at BBC.
- Ongoing: Juneteenth Reading Group
Join us for a 3-part virtual discussion group of historian Annette Gordon-Reed's "On Juneteenth". Participants will receive free copies of the book and professional development hours. Spaces are limited so register now at go.fiu.edu/juneteenthbook!
- Saturday, June 10th
Nova Star Networking Mixer
Join us on June 10 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. at the Wine Spectator Room at BBC for the Juneteenth Networking Mixer to meet employers hiring now! Open to students approaching their junior and senior year as well as graduate students. Participating students will receive free entrance to the Nova Star Juneteenth Scholarship Competition Show immediately following the mixer. Free shuttle bus service from MMC to BBC will be available for students. Register now to secure your spot at go.fiu.edu/novanetwork.
Nova Star Juneteenth Scholarship Competition Show
Join us on June 10 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at WUC Auditorium, BBC as we crown an FIU Nova Star Ambassador. This inclusive competition show is open to all genders, races and abilities and will showcase students who exemplify leadership, school spirit, and a commitment to their FIU community. Contestants will compete in categories such as talent, Q&A session, and a short speech on a social justice issue they are passionate about. Buy tickets at go.fiu.edu/novastartickets.
Free shuttle bus transportation between MMC, from the Wertheim Performing Arts Center stop, and BBC will be provided.
- Departure from MMC: 3:30 pm and 5:00 pm
- Departure from BBC: 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm
- Tuesday, June 13th
The Black Vote: Historical and Contemporary Significance
Join us for a captivating live panel discussion on the historical and contemporary significance of the Black Vote in America! Engage with prominent political and civic leaders from South Florida as they delve into this vital topic. Mark your calendars for June 13th and head to the MARC Pavilion from 2:00-4:00 p.m. to be a part of this enlightening event. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to gain insights and join the conversation! Register via go.fiu.edu/blackvote.
- Thursday, June 15th
Diving into Rosewood: A story
Join this conversation with FIU Theater professor and Rosewood playwright Melvin Huffnagle on June 15 from 1-2 pm via Zoom about his highly anticipated play on the history of Rosewood. This discussion will center around the importance of the Rosewood tragedy in Florida History and how storytelling can be more than an art form, serving as a pathway for healing and reconciliation. Register via go.fiu.edu/junerosewood.
- Friday, June 16th
Afro Yoga Session
Join us onJune 16 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at theTamiami Hall Multipurpose Room for a morning of mindfulness and healing. This Afro Yoga session with Amanda Bazil will reflect the physical and spiritual elements of yoga blended with dance movements from the African diaspora. You are encouraged to bring your own mats/towels. Register via go.fiu.edu/afroyoga.
Emotional Emancipation Circle
Join us on June 16 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the Tamiami Hall Multipurpose Room. The Emotional Emancipation Circle is a safe space designed to heal the trauma of anti-Black racism. In this circle, participants are encouraged to share their experiences as Black-identifying people across the Diaspora in order to wholly empower themselves. This session will be hosted by Dr. Jameta N. Barlow, a certified EEC facilitator from George Washington University. Register via go.fiu.edu/emancipation.
- Saturday, June 17th
Freedom Day Celebration
Rain or shine, the entire University community is invited to our third annual Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration. Lawn chairs and mats are welcome as we gather at the Earlene and Albert Dotson Pavilion Lawn (MARC building at MMC). This free event is open to the entire community and will feature musical performances by Guitars over Guns and DJ Slim, local artisan vendors, activities, dancers, food trucks, raffles, and fun for the whole family. The first 200 faculty/staff and the first 200 students to register will receive a $15.00 food voucher to use at any of the event’s food trucks!
Be sure to stop by the Bacardi Lounge (guests over 21 only) at the Frost Museum during their Summer Exhibition Party to cool off, open from 1:00-5:00 pm. Register via go.fiu.edu/freedom.
Free shuttle bus transportation between MMC, from the Wertheim Performing Arts Center stop, and BBC will be provided.
- Departure from BBC: 12 pm and 2 pm
- Departure from MMC: 3 pm and 5 pm
Painting with Faith
This activity will be ongoing during Freedom Day at the lawns between MARC and PC from 1-5 pm.
- Monday, June 19th
Juneteenth Week Closing Ceremony
To wrap up our week of Juneteenth events, the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be celebrating a closing ceremony on June 19 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at the WUC Panther Square in BBC. There will also be performances by African drummers and dancers, food trucks, and treats.
Reflecting Black to the Future: Celebrating Emancipation and Freedom Opening Reception
"Reflecting Black to the Future: Celebrating Emancipation and Freedom" is an exhibit by Dr. Valerie Patterson that will celebrate its opening reception at the Miami Beach Urban Studios (MBUS) Design Gallery on June 19 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. The exhibit, on display from June 19 to September 15, offers a retrospective of her use of mixed media, including digital technology, to build an art practice grounded in a love of Black history and culture. This exhibit incorporates work influenced by Patterson's early childhood in Coconut Grove, Florida, living and nurtured in a community of Black Bahamian pioneers. In this community, the importance of education and achievement were constantly emphasized. Encouraged at a very young age to read the biographies of Ida B. Wells, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Dr. George Washington Carver, over time she learned that these four and other liberators were constant stalwarts in the early struggle for the freedom of African-Americans. Their lives, impact, and images are embedded in and are the center of her art practice, as well as the histories and images of her Bahamian and African-American ancestors who figure prominently in her work. Patterson hopes that this exhibit offers an opportunity for viewers to identify and reflect on the themes of emancipation, liberation, upliftment, and joy that are possible amid the perpetual and ongoing struggle for all to live free and prosper in an environment that is at times hostile and threatening. For more information, visit the MBUS website.
Thank You To Our 2023 Sponsors
Support FIU's Juneteenth Celebration
Celebrate with us by becoming a sponsor for our Nova Star Scholarship Competition and the Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration.
Want to spread the word about our Juneteenth Celebration? Access the press kit
What does Juneteenth mean to FIU Panthers?
Educating, celebrating, and embracing the truths of Juneteenth can serve to expand the collective knowledge of our entire FIU community and accelerate an appreciation for the black history excluded from pedagogy, that may have framed a different America. Celebrating Juneteenth complements the work of the founding fathers, being the architects of the Declaration of Independence, and brings to the conversation, the 400 years black Americans have tried to achieve equality in enjoying ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’