Gigi Mitchell is passionate about God, community and encouraging people to learn about their neighbors. As a way to spread the Gospel and educate the community about Juneteenth, she and other members of the Many Voices, One Sound Committee on Saturday hosted a Juneteenth celebration at New Bethel Community Church.
“Some people, Black or White, really don’t know what Juneteenth is about,” said Mitchell, of the Village of Rio Grande. “During one of our monthly fellowship meetings, when I was talking about the Juneteenth event, someone asked me, ‘What is Juneteenth?’ I said, ‘Come to the event and find out.’ Our church is diverse, so this event is another way for us to come together in fellowship.”
The event was the second-annual Juneteenth celebration planned by Mitchell and 11 other members of the church’s Many Voices, One Sound Committee.
“We were not taught anything about Juneteenth in school,” Mitchell said. “I’m 74 now and to be just learning about it recently is a shame. We are still learning our history and that’s what’s truly important.
“When I learned about Juneteenth, the thing that struck me was that people were out doing slave labor while they were free because they didn’t know it,” she said. “A lot of the time it hurts to think about the why. Why do we have to go through so much? But my love for God is so strong, so I know we had to go through some things to get to where we are now.”
This year’s program included dance and musical performances, a poem reading and a screening of a 27-minute video, “Juneteenth,” by Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. It was followed by a picnic that featured a soul food menu of collard greens, string beans, cole slaw, fried chicken, banana pudding and a cake.
Don Hanley welcomed the nearly 100 guests to the program, while L’Tanya Johnson led the prayer. Jean Carson read an original poem and Ben Simmons performed a cappella an assortment of gospel songs from “Amazing Grace” to “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”
After attendees watched the video, Rochelle Rogers performed two original praise dances and Simmons sang another selection.
New Bethel Community Church’s Pastor Isaac Deas closed out the program with prepared remarks and then blessed the food.
“I believe a church should reflect what heaven looks like,” Deas said. “I’m so blessed to be the pastor of a multicultural church and I thank God for bringing us together. I want people to understand that each culture has something to offer. We should recognize what people have contributed and I like to get people together for fellowship. I also wanted to give our youth background to history.”
During the celebration, attendees enjoyed food, got their faces painted, spoke with Carson about her poems and explored an indoor Black history exhibit.
Village of Summerhill resident Ruth Handerhan was glad to attend the event after missing last year’s celebration.
“The program was so informative,” she said.
Committee member Sheila Diaz said her reason for joining was her passion for education.
The Summerfield resident helped pack gift bags, with the help of fellow committee members Mitchell, Cheryl Johnson, Emily Lee and Yvonne Rivera.
“I think education is very important,” she said. “It’s important to know your history and if we don’t educate the younger generations, then we will lose it.”
Mitchell said in the four years she’s been attending New Bethel, she has learned educating its youth is one of the many ways the small church makes a big impact.
“We have to learn to listen,” Mitchell said. “If young people would listen to what our ancestors went through, they can learn to love. I feel it’s important to love one another, because that’s what God wants us to do. No matter who you are, what color your skin is, you have to learn to love your neighbor.”
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
