My oldest son made his way through the Juneteenth celebration throughout Honolulu, walking shoulder to shoulder with his friends, eyes wide at the mix of colors, music, and people. It was a long way from Georgia, but somehow, it still felt like home, and he had to show me everything.

As we FaceTime, he asked me, “Why do we celebrate Juneteenth, Mama?” Glancing up at me as they passed a food truck, he said there were cold drinks and fried catfish sizzling in the fryers.

I paused and crouched my face into my phone. “Because it’s our story of true freedom.”

I’ve repeated this to my children several times over the years, but I guess as they get older, they become a bit wiser and more intentional in their learning.

I went on to say, “It doesn’t matter if you were in Texas, Georgia, or Hawaii. Freedom didn’t come easy for our ancestors, and when it finally did—even late-it was worth remembering.”

As he continued walking, stopping at a booth that served collard greens with smoked turkey and taro. I could hear a woman in the area yell out, “Greens for strength, just like your grandma used to make!”

Of course, going months without any type of collards, he grinned and told me he had to get a plate. We ended our call, but he sent tons of videos and pictures showing him and his friends visiting vendors, sampling coconut cornbread, black-eyed pea salad with mango, jerk chicken wrapped in banana leaves, and red velvet mochi. Each dish had a story, a root that stretched deep—part Southern, part island, and all heart.

As the day stretched into evening, he told me how the music was uplifting, reminding him of home and being around his family. Later, after his Juneteenth adventure, he called me and said, “So Juneteenth means freedom... and food... and not forgetting?” Due to the time difference, I was a bit sleepy but answered securely. “That’s right. And sharing it with whoever’s willing to learn.”

After a long break, he said, “I want to tell the story too, Mama. Just like we do at home.”

I smiled, teared up a bit, and said, “Then keep tasting, keep listening, and keep asking. That’s how it stays alive.”

After our call ended, my thoughts shifted to his friends and how he described their full hearts and full plates; for a moment, I saw how Juneteenth, our history, has spread across the ocean.

Happy Juneteenth!

Freedom on the Breeze – SJ’s Juneteenth Stroll

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