Juneteenth, also known as “Freedom Day,” “Emancipation Day” or “Jubilee,” is a commemorative holiday celebrated on June 19 to mark the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.
In honor of this holiday, Scripps Oceanography is proudly sponsoring the upcoming Juneteenth and Father’s Day Community Celebration hosted by Paddle for Peace, an organization focused on diversifying coastal spaces. The event takes place on Sunday, June 18 at La Jolla Shores Park from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Scripps Oceanography community is invited to join the community celebration, which features activities such as free surf lessons, yoga sessions, a dad's relay race, a beach clean up, and more. Ocean friendly barbeque and vegan fried rice will also be available. Please RSVP here if you plan to attend.
Many thanks to Director Margaret Leinen and other members of Scripps leadership for supporting this great event!
On campus, UC San Diego’s Black Staff Association (BSA) is also hosting some events that explore the significance of the Juneteenth holiday. These events aim to celebrate Black excellence and center ways in which all communities can observe, reflect, and educate in commemoration of Juneteenth. Visit UC San Diego’s Juneteenth webpage for event details. Please note that registration is now closed for the 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration and Black Excellence Awards on June 20, but you can join the waitlist here.
To learn more about Juneteenth, visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture. We encourage everyone at Scripps and UC San Diego to take time to reflect on our country, its treatment of Black people, and to consider how our UC San Diego commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion can help unite our diverse society to explore and find solutions to end systemic racism and anti-blackness.
We wish you all a meaningful observation of Juneteenth, and hope to see some familiar faces at the Paddle for Peace event!