SARASOTA – Juneteenth celebrations popped up across the Suncoast this weekend, and CAN Community Health celebrated with their own ‘Freedom Day’
“We’re celebrating not only the end of slavery but putting communities together and that’s what we did here today in Sarasota,” said Interim President and CEO for CAN Community Health, Rishi Patel.
CAN Community Health held their first annual celebration of Juneteenth, Saturday.
“Which in the black community is an annual celebration of the freedom of slaves, who did not hear about their freedom in the emancipation proclamation for two years, after the ending of slavery,” said Chief Administrative Officer of CAN Community Health, Deborah Hawkes.
Juneteenth was officially signed into law as a federal holiday by President Biden Thursday afternoon.
“Were excited to not only celebrate it, but to be in front of that actual federal announcement,” said Hawkes.
Hawkes says educating youth on what Juneteenth is all about is paramount, as well as expanding their relationship with the Newtown community
“But it’s also an opportunity for us to partner with our brothers and sisters across all cultures and ethnicities and ensure that they understand the struggle that the black community has gone through and how important it is that we all work together on solutions and improving diversity acceptance and belonging in our American community,” said Hawkes.
Interim president and CEO for CAN says this will definitely not be the last community event the health center holds.
“What a great property to show our support to the community, say thank you to the community and really get the community to know who CAN is, and that’s important to us, we want to make sure that people know who can is so we can come and serve our communities together,” said Patel.