Summary

On June 18th, I had the pleasure of attending the YWCA Rock County Juneteenth celebration at Telfer Park in Beloit. I was excited to bring my 7-year-old granddaughter with me so that she could get a better understanding of why this event is so important.

We started the conversation in the car about the meaning of Juneteenth. We googled it and she read to me while I drove. We discussed slavery in a way that I hoped a 7-year-old would comprehend.

We arrived at the celebration and started walking to each of the booths, talking about the help and education that each of the non-profit booths represented. We talked about the yummy food options and the women owned businesses.

She received a book bag from the Beloit library and she talked with another child about the diverse book characters. Each book was selected to celebrate Juneteenth and offered many new books she had not read. We found pictures of Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Barack Obama, which gave me the chance to explain who they are and their importance in history.

During Governor Evers speech and several others, I found my granddaughter sitting up closer to the stage and listening, dancing and clapping for each presenter. She said she enjoyed the singing most of all and that she would like to come back next year.

It truly was a great learning opportunity for the both of us. I want my granddaughter to understand our Country’s History and why the Racial Justice work that the YWCA Rock County is doing is so important.

Shauna McCarthy
YWCA Rock County Board Member