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Empowerment Congress Juneteenth Day of Dialogue

June 26, 2025

Los Angeles celebrated Juneteenth with three days of festivities across the city in June 2025, beginning on June 14 and concluding with the Empowerment Congress Juneteenth Day of Dialogue on June 21 at The Beehive in South Los Angeles. The Day of Dialogue event featured keynote speaker Maya Wiley, President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, who delivered an inspirational speech about resilience. The program included performances by Rhythms Arts Alliance and The Young Shakespeareans, interactive dialogue sessions focused on the theme "Educate, Engage and Empower: Resilience in the Face of Chaos," and musical entertainment by Upward Mobility performing Freedom Songs.

Who is affected

  • Los Angeles residents and community members who attended the Juneteenth celebrations
  • Hundreds of attendees at the Empowerment Congress Juneteenth Day of Dialogue
  • USC Women's and Men's basketball players who attended the event
  • Participants in the interactive dialogue sessions
  • Community organizations and performers involved in the celebrations

What action is being taken

  • The Empowerment Congress is hosting Days of Dialogue events to facilitate community discussions
  • The Institute for Nonviolence Los Angeles continues to organize Days of Dialogue programs
  • Community members are engaging in interactive discussions around the theme of resilience
  • Performers and speakers are sharing messages related to empowerment and resilience through various art forms
  • The Empowerment Congress is documenting and sharing recaps of programs on social media platforms

Why it matters

  • The Days of Dialogue initiative originated in 1995 to address divisions in Los Angeles following the O.J. Simpson verdict
  • These dialogues provide a forum for diverse communities to discuss important social issues
  • The Juneteenth celebrations honor the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery
  • The theme "Educate, Engage and Empower: Resilience in the Face of Chaos" addresses contemporary challenges
  • The event continues a tradition of thousands of people participating in dialogue programs locally and nationally

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint