How Food Helped Me Reconnect With Juneteenth

Growing up, I never questioned my Black identity. My parents made understanding my roots a priority. My mom sent me to an all-Black charter school, and I was constantly showered in cultural affirmations—like being told “Black is beautiful”—from my family and community. Even now, as an adult, Black liberation remains at the epicenter of my work as a food writer, where I constantly strive to uplift underrepresented Black narratives.

But up until a few years ago, I never really celebrated Juneteenth.

For clarity, I’ve always known about the holiday. I vividly remember my teachers explaining everything that went down in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. That’s when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in the state to inform the 250,000 people enslaved there that they were free—more than two years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and two months after Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox. That date became known as Juneteenth, or liberation day. But, even though I knew all of this, commemorating June 19 was just never a family tradition.

That changed in 2020, amid the stresses of the pandemic, the protests over ongoing and flagrant police brutality and systemic racism, and the performative responses from so many “allies” (remember the black squares posted by companies that refused to actually invest in DEI initiatives?). It was a lot, and I was desperately seeking a day to take a breather and connect with my community.

This became more apparent when I started seeing Fourth of July–themed foods and decorations blanketing grocery store shelves. The idea of pulling out the grill and celebrating “independence day” made me sick. Frederick Douglass put it best in his now-famous Independence Day speech, saying the holiday reveals “a gross injustice and cruelty.” How could we be celebrating freedom, when so many people aren’t really free? Still, I longed for a day to center around food and community—and our ongoing quest for liberation. So I turned to Juneteenth.

It’s been three years since I started spending the holiday commemorating Black joy and our collective struggle for a better present and future. Food has been so instrumental in Black life as a means of survival and celebration, so for me, it’s a perfect vehicle for exploring the themes of Juneteenth. I’ve started cooking and eating to help me honor the day; so far, it’s been liberating and delicious. Here are some practices that guide me.

Support Black businesses and community organizations.

I try to shop at Black-owned establishments as much as possible in my everyday routine, and I prioritize that even more on Juneteenth. The holiday is all about honoring Black self-determination and dreams, so for me, food entrepreneurs are a great place to start.

When I’m grilling for the holiday, I love to slather some Jones Bar-B-Q sauce onto ribs and pair them with some soul food-inspired fixings, like A Dozen Cousins Creole Red Beans. I adore visiting Black growers at farmer’s markets for inspiration when I’m cooking, too. I’ll usually hit up a stand to see what fruits or veggies they have on hand. I’m always hoping collards are in season, because who doesn’t love a side of greens to celebrate?