U.N.I.T.Y. Collective hosts Juneteenth block party
Members of U.N.I.T.Y. Collective, the organization hosting the second annual Juneteenth Block Party, welcome attendees at the start of the celebration.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Alba ‘Gigi’ Perez, owner of ArtLife Studio in Hazleton and the nonprofit Elevated Arts Project, works on a painting.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
DJ AR from 107.5 The Diamond internet radio station plays music at the event.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Attendees shop at Inspired by Faith Tees.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
People line up for food at the Juneteenth Block Party on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Face painting was among the festivities at the Juneteenth Block Party.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — U.N.I.T.Y. Collective hosted its second annual Juneteenth Block Party on Friday on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre.
“We’re just coming together as one, sharing some food, some laughs, some dancing, and just enjoying each other,” said Tiffanie Bigby, an event organizer and member of U.N.I.T.Y. Collective.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, specifically when enslaved people in Texas were informed of their freedom on June 19, 1865. It was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, but was celebrated by Black Americans for much longer.
“We went through a lot. Our history taught us a lot,” said Bigby, who is also the CEO of Blessed Xpressions and the nonprofit Grace Community Living.
“We are, right now, just celebrating freedom and our ancestors,” she said. “We’re here to celebrate them and come together.”
The block party featured food, vendors, music, dancing, and resources.
“We’re just making sure that we mix up everything and give resources and local small businesses the opportunity to flourish,” Bigby said.
Among the festivities was a live Afrofuturist painting by Alba “Gigi” Perez, owner of ArtLife Studio in Hazleton and the nonprofit Elevated Arts Project. Perez said events with an art focus, like the Juneteenth Block Party, help people meet and connect in a unique way.
“It’s important because it brings people together,” she said about shared art. “I think that’s just the main idea.”
Members of U.N.I.T.Y. Collective leadership — including Bigby, Daniel Valentin, Luzerne County Councilwoman Brittany Stephenson, and Gather Community Space Executive Director Rose Daniels — welcomed crowds at the start of the celebration.
The U.N.I.T.Y. Collective, which stands for “Uplifting Neighborhoods through Inclusion, Togetherness, and You(th),” is a coalition of grassroots organizations, artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders committed to cultivating equity, cultural celebration, and collective healing in Luzerne County.
Stephenson emphasized the event’s mission and theme, “From Freedom to Future.”
“We all have been coming together for a mission to be able to create as much access as we can to all of you,” she said, noting it is an honor to serve the community.
Valentin, who is an owner of ValentinXStudios Photography, emphasized that the event was made possible through collaboration. The group thanked the event sponsors.
“We really did this, and I’m really proud of us,” Valentin said. “I’m so proud of our community.”
Bigby said they plan to kick off next year’s celebration on Saturday, June 19, 2027, with a parade.
“We want to make sure that everybody is able to enjoy things like this, no drama, stress-free, just everybody together, having fun,” she said.
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