{"id":54076,"date":"2024-06-15T16:30:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-15T20:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=54076"},"modified":"2024-06-15T17:40:42","modified_gmt":"2024-06-15T21:40:42","slug":"batavia-just-kings-juneteenth-celebration-makes-giant-strides","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/06\/15\/batavia-just-kings-juneteenth-celebration-makes-giant-strides\/","title":{"rendered":"BATAVIA\/Just Kings\u2019 Juneteenth celebration makes giant strides"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2018This gives us a chance to show our talents\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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Victor Thomas, Lamar Randall, Dionna Thomas at Just Kings\u2019 food stand table.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Mike Pettinella
For Video News Service<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Photos by Alecia Kaus)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The annual Juneteenth Freedom Day celebration coordinated by the Batavia-based Just Kings Social Club has come a long way since its start four years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember the first one in back of the YMCA (of Genesee County) and today\u2019s event with so many vendors and activities just shows the growth,\u201d said Dionna Thomas, sister of Victor Thomas, a Just Kings\u2019 director. \u201cIt\u2019s so great to see people in our (African American) community giving back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dionna was one of a few hundred people who made their way to Williams Park in Batavia this afternoon for the free event that runs until 8 o\u2019clock tonight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said she hopes area residents from all races will support Just Kings\u2019 efforts to foster unity and togetherness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to be the change we want to see,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Submitted photos)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victor Thomas noted that it was the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, that provided the impetus to create Just Kings. This year\u2019s celebration was kicked off by an appearance by New York Attorney General Letitia James.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for that day, this celebration wouldn\u2019t have happened,\u201d he said. \u201cEver since, this has raised money for our back-to-school and Christmas toy drives and we hope to have the haunted house for Halloween.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This year\u2019s program includes 17 vendor booths \u2013 including 10 from nonprofit agencies \u2013 along with food stands, bounce houses and other youth activities, and musical entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Brandon Armstrong takes a moment to pose with Genesee County Youth Bureau employees Sara Gregori, left, and Theresa Osborn at the Juneteenth Freedom Day celebration at Williams Park <\/em><\/strong>Photo\/Mike Pettinella<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genesee County Youth Bureau representatives gave away snow cones (until they ran out).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is awesome that we were asked to participate for a second year,\u201d said Theresa Osborn, youth bureau employee. \u201cThis brings the community together and gives us an opportunity to serve our youth and to lead by example.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attica resident Angel Bowman said she came to the festival to support Bowman\u2019s co-worker, children\u2019s author Paul Gurgol, who was at a booth promoting his book, \u201cZero the Hero.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was accompanied by her uncle, Mike Szatkowski, who said he \u201cfigured there would be some good food here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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For a second straight year, Batavian Brenda Williams set up her popular Brenda\u2019s Sweet Treats tent featuring goodies such as cake pops, candy apples, brownies and sweet potato pies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat this day means to me is that it gives our culture a chance to shine and show the talents that God has blessed us with,\u201d she said. \u201cHe gets all the glory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the United States that is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. The holiday’s name is a portmanteau of the words “June” and “nineteenth”, as it was on June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roc Hard Vette Club & Classic Cars- Will Simmons, President, Jennifer Warrick, Secretary<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>, Al Bethel, Vice President<\/em><\/strong>. Back-Greg Bacon of Batavia<\/em><\/strong>. The club will be hosting its third annual car show form 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 27 at Genesee Valley Park (Riverbend Shelter) in Rochester.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kim Allen \u2013 with 1976 Cadillac Eldorado that she has owned for seven years<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Joe McClaney with his 2017 Corvette<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018This gives us a chance to show our talents\u2019 Victor Thomas, Lamar Randall, Dionna Thomas at Just Kings\u2019 food stand table. By Mike PettinellaFor Video News Service (Photos by Alecia Kaus) The annual Juneteenth Freedom Day celebration coordinated by the Batavia-based Just Kings Social Club has come a long way \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54058,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,23],"tags":[3763,3250],"class_list":["post-54076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-batavia","category-genesee-county","tag-juneteenth","tag-just-kings"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-e4c","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":43544,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2023\/06\/17\/batavia-nys-attorney-general-makes-a-visit-to-juneteenth-freedom-day-event-at-williams-park\/","url_meta":{"origin":54076,"position":0},"title":"BATAVIA\/NYS Attorney General makes a visit to Juneteenth Freedom Day event at Williams Park","author":"aka","date":"June 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Provided photo NYS Attorney General Letitia James made a stop at the Juneteenth Freedom Day event at Williams Park on Saturday afternoon.James says she heard about the group Just Kings, who assisted seniors and those in need during the pandemic with food and resources, and wanted to stop by personally\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/thumbnail_image_50437121.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/thumbnail_image_50437121.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/thumbnail_image_50437121.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/thumbnail_image_50437121.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/thumbnail_image_50437121.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":35597,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/08\/27\/batavia-just-kings-distributes-backpacks-school-supplies-and-end-of-summer-haircuts-as-kids-get-ready-to-go-back-to-school\/","url_meta":{"origin":54076,"position":1},"title":"BATAVIA\/Just Kings distributes backpacks, school supplies and end of summer haircuts as kids get ready to go back to school","author":"aka","date":"August 27, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Just Kings held their third annual Free Backpack Giveaway at Austin Park on Saturday afternoon. Gregory Munroe with Just Kings, says the group has been collecting backpacks and school supplies since Juneteenth. 75 back packs and other school supplies were donated by the local community and all donations were gone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/20220827_141523.jpg?fit=1103%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/20220827_141523.jpg?fit=1103%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/20220827_141523.jpg?fit=1103%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/20220827_141523.jpg?fit=1103%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/20220827_141523.jpg?fit=1103%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17728,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2020\/06\/20\/batavia-juneteenth-photos-june-202020\/","url_meta":{"origin":54076,"position":2},"title":"BATAVIA\/Juneteenth photos June 20,2020","author":"aka","date":"June 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/NSkrsAScHes Juneteenth Jam","rel":"","context":"In "Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1061&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1061&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1061&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1061&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1061&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17717,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2020\/06\/19\/batavia-first-juneteenth-event-organized-at-the-ywca\/","url_meta":{"origin":54076,"position":3},"title":"BATAVIA\/First Juneteenth event organized at the YWCA","author":"aka","date":"June 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/4Ca5nCEdIXE An interview with organizers on the meaning of Juneteenth Hosted by the March for Justice organization Organizers gathered on Friday evening to share information on Juneteenth and register people to vote while enjoying some community time to talk to one another. Tomorrow's event Saturday 6\/20\/20- Noon-7pm Where- YWCA in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Batavia"","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/still-11.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/still-11.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/still-11.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65340,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/06\/15\/batavia-photos-juneteenth-at-williams-park-on-saturday\/","url_meta":{"origin":54076,"position":4},"title":"BATAVIA\/Photos\/Juneteenth at Williams Park on Saturday","author":"aka","date":"June 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Members of the Roc Hard Vette Club & Classic Cars out of Rochester","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250614_160604-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250614_160604-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250614_160604-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250614_160604-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250614_160604-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C788&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":76150,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/06\/16\/batavia-spartans-vs-ymca-challenger-kids-at-williams-park-on-saturday\/","url_meta":{"origin":54076,"position":5},"title":"BATAVIA\/Spartans vs. YMCA Challenger kids at Williams Park on Saturday","author":"aka","date":"June 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release: The Genesee County Spartans semipro football team will be squaring off against the members of the YMCA Challenger Sports program this weekend as part of the Juneteenth celebration. 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