Wilsonville celebrates Juneteenth with music, speakers and more
Published 3:13 pm Friday, June 20, 2025
The loud, rhythmic sounds of drumming could be heard throughout Town Center Park in the evening on Thursday, June 19, as the Anansi Beat drumming group made their way to the stage.
Dancers and drummers worked their way from the Parks and Recreation administration building to the stage across the park as part of Wilsonville’s celebration of Juneteenth. The federal holiday recognizes the day news of slavery’s abolishment reached Texas on June 19, 1865, and Wilsonville’s fifth annual event involved performances from DJ VNPRT and Anansi Beat, a keynote speech highlighting the importance of advocacy as a collective, a surprise visit from Gov. Tina Kotek and more.
Tai Harden-Moore acknowledged national conversations and anxieties with political division, economic strain, inequality and other factors in her keynote speech and promoted the idea of standing together in advocacy.
“Together we move policies, we shift narratives, we protect communities and we build our future,” Harden-Moore said. “We can only do this through united voices, through advocacy that is strategic, grounded in love and unwilling to be silenced.”
During her remarks Kotek noted Oregon’s history with institutionalized racism, and said she is committed to be an ally in efforts to “rectify those misdeeds and impacts.”
“While it’s a daily fight and there’s a long fight ahead of us, I’m also really glad that we’re here, taking the time to celebrate,” Kotek said. “(To) celebrate what we’ve achieved, celebrate each other, because we know that celebration is also a really, really good form of resistance.”
