Black San Diegans Celebrate Juneteenth

Speaker 1: 00:00 Today, June 19th is a date to celebrate freedom from slavery. It marks the day in 1865, when news reached the last remaining and slaved people in Texas, that slavery had been abolished this year, the meeting of Juneteenth takes on additional significance. As we struggle as a nation with the residues of racial injustice and police brutality here in San Diego, the Cooper family foundation has been holding a community celebration of Juneteenth for the last 50 years. Joining us are two members of the Cooper family, Marla Lynn Cooper, and her niece, Malia Monique Jones. Speaker 2: 00:37 Oh, I'm happy to be here. Thanks for asking me. Speaker 1: 00:39 Hi. So Marla, your parents are the founders of San Diego's Juneteenth community celebration. Tell us a bit about how it got started and how it's grown. Speaker 2: 00:48 Basically, my father was from Redbird, Oklahoma. That's where he was from. It was all black town and they always celebrated Juneteenth. And then when he came to San Diego and he married my mother Thelma Cooper in 1953, he was telling her about the celebration. And while they were celebrating July 4th, he told my mother that that was not our holiday because in fact, we were still slaves when the 4th of July happened in 1776. So they started celebrating Juneteenth and then they had children. We started at celebrating Juneteenth as a family and then at a park at Southwest park. And so what started off very small, um, ended up becoming pretty large. And then my, um, he just would invite the community to participate. Um, he had friends and family and extended family participate and donate food. And we had entertainment and always education about the meaning of Juneteenth and what it meant to us as a people. Speaker 1: 01:53 So Marla talk about the meaning, what it means for you. Speaker 2: 01:57 What it means to me is, um, that we're resilient race of people. So in spite of our, our painful journey, and it has definitely been painful in spite of discrimination, that still is evident and has manifested itself today in the worst way, we're still a resilient race of people are we would not be here. Um, in spite of lynchings and killings, um, we're still here. We're still standing. But today when I look at the protest, there are no words that can express how I feel. It's hard. And it's hard to express when you live in this skin, what you feel when you see the protest and when you see other races and they're finally coming with us, you'd be like, Oh my God, thank God Speaker 1: 02:41 Malia. I understand you're going to be addressing the gathering. It's going to be a smaller gathering than usual, I believe because you have to make it a virtual event apart from your own family. But what will you be talking about in terms of the meaning of Juneteenth to you this year? Speaker 2: 02:57 I will be talking about the systemic Speaker 3: 03:00 And institutionalized oppression that black people face to this day and how police brutality is only one issue that black people face systemically because there's all other issues. And I'll also be talking about how my aunt said, how proud we should be, about how far we have come, but we still have so much more that we need to do. And our generation now is the demand and change that we need to have that change for. So black Americans could walk the streets of America, safe and proud and have basic human rights that everybody else is equal to. Speaker 1: 03:36 How many of your generation do you think are aware of Juneteenth and actually observe it? Speaker 3: 03:41 I believe now it's now that it has become more publicized. I believe everyone is aware now of June 10th and how significant is to black people. And, and it's fine that like, if they just find out that it's completely fine, because now they know, and they can tell their friends, their family, their friends about Juneteenth. The thing is, and the main thing is to keep the conversation, going to keep Arjun teeth alive and keep the meaning of June to the alive, all around the world. So they know what Juneteenth is and what our independence day is. Speaker 1: 04:15 Marla, you know, how important is it that, that people of all races and backgrounds get to know this part of history? You know what I mean? Is it really an important part of tackling this racism that we're really confronting now? Speaker 2: 04:28 Well, I think it's very important. So let me just speak that police brutality is not new police killing black men is not new, but for whatever, the reason this time, this time watching George Floyd, watching the police officer, put his neck and watch this man die on video and call out to his mother. Every culture has had compassion. And I believe that is the reason that now I'm amazed that there's Juneteenth on the television. It's the reason why Twitter and bank of America is closing early today. And that's the reason I believe that we're having the conversation and because all the cultures came together with us. So when you see the protesting, you're just like amazed, like, okay. And for me, I'm like, thank you, God, it's time. It is time it's past time. Speaker 1: 05:26 Malia, I'd like to ask you, how would you like to see Americans as a whole celebrate this holiday Speaker 3: 05:31 Americans as a whole? I feel to celebrate this holiday. I as continued to educate yourself, not only on Juneteenth, but the history of black people and the racism that we still face in today's society and how the changes that they can make contribute to how black people and any minorities are facing this world. So if you continue that it allows for change to, because it takes all of us, not just the black community, not as it takes everybody to contribute and learn and educate, to get where we need to be for the future. Speaker 1: 06:07 So, Marla, what are your plans for this year celebration tomorrow Speaker 2: 06:10 As always, it will be the same. We will have a drum call, which is, um, goes right with our tradition. We'll have prayer, we'll have spoken word what we're going to talk about. Um, our history, our culture, our heritage, and then we're going to have, um, gospel music. That's also a part of our history. And then of course, we're going to have, uh, we're going to talk about George Floyd and the issues and the, um, senseless killings and lynchings. And then we're going to fellowship together with dinner and it'd be an emotional day, but it'd be a wonderful day. Speaker 1: 06:46 We've been speaking with Malia, Monique Jones. Thank you so much, Malia. Speaker 3: 06:50 Thank you. Speaker 1: 06:51 And Marlin Lynn Cooper of the Cooper family that founded the Juneteenth celebration here in San Diego. Thank you, Marla. Speaker 2: 06:58 Oh, thank you for having me. I'm I am honored. Speaker 1: 07:02 The Cooper family foundation is hosting a virtual Juneteenth celebration from two to five o'clock tomorrow on Facebook live and zoom.