Equity Lab: Juneteenth events + California reopening + Book review: How To Survive America
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It’s Wednesday, June 16, 2021
My name is Marcus D. Smith, I’m the Black communities reporter for The Equity Lab.
First, let’s give a shout out to the late-great, Tupac Amaru Shakur who would’ve been 50 years old today. If you follow me on Twitter, then you’ll most likely scroll past random Tupac quotes from my profile today. Sorry, not sorry.
This Saturday is Juneteenth! The holiday is honored and celebrated by people of African descent throughout the country, as it’s known as the Black Independence Day. It was recently approved by the Senate to become a federal holiday. The last stop is the House and then to President Joe Biden for his signature.
I’m excited for all the festivities going on around Sacramento and throughout the region. There are so many different events happening that you can attend with the family, here’s the full list of events to consider.
See below for the events I’m most excited about:
St. Hope’s Juneteenth Block Party
St. HOPE will host a Juneteenth Block Party in Oak Park from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The free event will take place at their 40 Acres location. Tickets are available for download here.This is the first annual event hosted at 40 Acres Art and Cultural Center. There will be music, art, food, and entertainment.
Sacramento’s 18th annual Juneteenth Festival
The annual festival will take place at William Land Park this year from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit their website.
Sacramento African Marketplace
Every first and third Saturday of the month from 12 pm to 6 pm, the African Marketplace hosts vendors, food, and music at Florin Square.
They’re located at 2251 Florin Road.
Algorhythm Juneteenth Juke Jam
BaseOne.FM Presents ‘Algorhythm’ at Esther’s Park every first and third Saturday of the month in Oak Park.
It’s a day party from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
This weekend — expect nothing less than a great environment and positive energy when they vibe out at their Juneteenth Juke Jam.
Tickets are available here.
Here’s what else you need to know this week:
Must-Read Stories
SUPPORTING BLACK BUSINESSES AND EVENTS AS CALIFORNIA REOPENS:
Sacramento and California just took a big step toward returning to normal. Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted many of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions on businesses Tuesday.
That means capacity limits and physical distancing restrictions at indoor settings are lifted. Mask requirements are also loosened.
The past year has been marked not only by a pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 1,700 people in Sacramento County alone, it has also seen a renewed focus on social justice issues and supporting all of our communities. As the economy begins to open up, we’ve assembled a list of activities, summer outings and events where you can support Black entrepreneurs and business owners in Sacramento.
HOW TO FIND A GOOD JOB NOW THAT CALIFORNIA IS REOPENING:
As California lifts most of its restrictions on June 15, labor experts and career coaches expect the state to continue to regain lost jobs.
But what will those jobs look like? Which jobs will be lost for good? Will the so-called “labor shortage” push up wages? And how can California workers take advantage of the current labor market to find better jobs?
[Here’s how labor experts and career coaches are answering those questions]
NEW SPOTS TO SHOP:
Labor experts and career coaches expect the state to continue to regain lost jobs as California reopens.
But what will those jobs look like? Which jobs will be lost for good? Will the so-called “labor shortage” push up wages? And how can California workers take advantage of the current labor market to find better jobs?
More Interesting Reads
Sacramento Reopening Guide | The Sacramento Bee
California offered checks to undocumented families. An IRS backlog is holding them up for many | The Sacramento Bee
With 110 degree forecast coming, Sacramento to open multiple cooling centers this week | The Sacramento Bee
The U.S. Has Hit 600,000 COVID Deaths, More Than Any Other Country | NPR
What we’re reading (and you should, too!)
This week, I’m reviewing “How To Survive America” written by D.L. Hughley. I definitely recommend you read it. I give it a 9/10 because it’s a smooth read all the way through. The book’s length is 240 pages and was a breeze to read.
This isn’t a typical “how-to” book that step-by-step educates you on how to survive in America.
What it is though, is a recap of 2020. Even the minor details you might have allowed your mind to repress, he was sure to include. Injustices in big cities as well as the small cities mainstream media may have overlooked, and he even references Sacramento.
It was an eye-opening year for most, yet, for most Black people it was a tale that keeps on telling decade, after decade, after decade. Police brutality, health-related issues, unemployment, or housing evictions: threats to the Black community that 2020 brought to light. Hughley exploited them all with necessary articulation. He explains how a country built off of racism and slavery still holds remnants of that foundation.
Hughley is one of the original kings of comedy. If you’re a fan of his stand ups then you’ll have a great time reading this book. With an element of comedy, he keeps it real and honest.
Imagine his voice in front of an auditorium cracking punchlines with complete authenticity and awareness of what’s going on in our world. As I continued to read along -- I can tell that this could have been stand-up special.
I believe that this book should be read by young scholars of all backgrounds and ethnicities, but especially Black people. “How To Survive America” is available on Amazon today.
Where to find us
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Thank you for reading, and we will see you again next week!
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This story was originally published June 16, 2021 at 12:08 PM.