ROANOKE, Va. – People all over the country Wednesday are recognizing Juneteenth — and here at home, the Salvation Army celebrated diversity with a festival.
It was a way for people of all walks of life to come together, and put their differences aside.
At the festival, there was free food, games and health resources for the community.
“Being different has always been hard. I am biracial, so I wanted everyone to find their own light and let them know that it’s okay for us all to be different,” Social Services Manager Jaimie Goodman said.
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had declared them free.