Participants gather to Stroll and Roll along Michigan Avenue June 19 in front of City Hall Artspace Lofts in Dearborn during the city’s Juneteenth celebration.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – Families, elected officials and local activists gathered June 19 outside City Hall Art Space Lofts to commemorate Juneteenth, the new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
A Stroll and Roll, with walkers and bicyclists, followed Michigan Avenue, which was cordoned off, from Schlaff Street to Wyoming Avenue, after speeches from the steps of the former city hall.
Fox News anchor Josh Landon, who is Lebanese and African-American, served as master of ceremonies, introducing community speakers, including community activist Leslie Windless of Dearborn Heights, who spoke of how, even today, some black people are afraid to drive through Dearborn.
Other speakers included the Rev. Terri Pilarski of Christ Episcopal Church of Dearborn, Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad, and Dearborn City Councilwomen Erin Byrnes and Leslie Herrick.
Vocalist Brandice A’Toi Butcher sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” followed by a history of Juneteenth by Michael Joseph, Detroit president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unions.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-12th District), who made her first public speaking appearance since recovering from surgery, was joined by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-15th District).
Dingell called for the passage of the Voting Rights Act.
“I want everybody to pay attention to what they are trying to do in Lansing, making it harder for people to vote,” she said. “They are trying to make it harder for the African American community, but they are also trying to make it harder for seniors, who have cast an absentee ballot vote for decades, and suddenly they want to make them show a voter I.D. or they can’t vote.”
Dingell said the GOP also was trying to undermine public confidence in the vote.
“What happened last November in this state was a fair and equitable election, and do not let them undercut your confidence,” she said. “I’m tired of lies and people trying to undermine the fundamental pillars of our democracy.”
Dingell said Juneteenth was about remembering and looking forward, and fighting for the pillars of democracy.
“People are trying to divide this country with fear and hatred,” she said. “They’ve done it from the day that we were founded, but it’s time for us to stand up and be heard. United we stand, and divided we fall.”
Dingell called for unity, and urged people to work for housing, education and affordable healthcare for every American.
“It’s made it to a national holiday, and I am not going to let anybody turn this into a mattress sale day,” she said. “This is going to be a day we encourage everybody to remember our history, learn it and unite to make sure that this vision of America, when we were founded, is there for every American as we move forward.”
To move away from the Orville Hubbard legacy, speaker Julia Kapilango, of Artspace Lofts, spoke of plans to plant a tree at the site of the statue of the former mayor, a known racist.
Detroit City Councilwoman Raquel Castaneda-Lopez also spoke, followed by Mikel Oglesby, executive director of transit for the city of Detroit, and Robert Cramer, deputy general manager for the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (at podium) speaks June 19 at City Hall Artspace Lofts in Dearborn during the city’s Juneteenth celebration, as U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-12th District, left) and state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-15th District, third from left) listen.