Historic day today celebrating freedom and the Black diaspora of which this country was built on. Plus, Seattle's hosting the World Cup US vs. Australia game. When Seattle originally bid years ago for the FIFA World Cup match of US vs. Australia on June 19th, it was not treated as a scheduling coincidence of happening on Juneteenth, the federal holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the United States: “From the moment we were bidding to be a host city over eight years ago, inclusion was a cornerstone of how we presented our region,” Tomozawa said. “We were honored to host a Juneteenth match, and we knew immediately we had a responsibility to maximize the moment and create a lasting legacy. When we learned the USMNT was coming here, that commitment only deepened.” “We created the Juneteenth Matchday Advisory Committee (JMAC) to make sure our hosting of the World Cup authentically reflects our community,” he said about the group formed almost two years ago. “The partnerships and programming on display this week reflect Washington at its best—forward thinking, collaborative, and intentional about making sure the world understands why Juneteenth is a national holiday and celebrates the emancipation of Black Americans, and the universal hope for freedom.” Full article: https://nwasianweekly.com/2026/06/seattles-world-cup-debut-sparks-joy-juneteenth-match-carries-deeper-mission/ I celebrated at the the City of Bainbridge Island Juneteenth event last weekend. Shout out to @Katy Curtis for volunteering at a booth pictured in the hat on the 2nd photo. Amazing speakers, food, and a Melanin art piece learning about African quilts. Quilt messages whose fabric art symbols allowed communication with the Underground Railroad and the slave community who knew how to "read" the quilts, though many could not read or write.