June 2, 2022
Ursuline College and the City of Pepper Pike are co-hosting a family-friendly Juneteenth event on Saturday, June 18, from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on the College’s campus at 2550 Lander Road in Pepper Pike.
This Juneteenth celebration is free, open to the public, and supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Juneteenth commemorates the end of chattel slavery in the United States. This event will feature live music by Ikembe and The Cover Girls, food, storytelling, a drumming circle, face painting, local vendors, an art station, and an art exhibit in Ursuline’s Wasmer Gallery.
“Ursuline College is collaborating with the City of Pepper Pike to celebrate and educate about Juneteenth by coming together as a community,” said Yolanda King, Assistant Dean for Diversity. “Our collective immersion experience will feature storytelling, music, spoken word, food, vendors, and activities for everyone.” Mayor Richard Bain adds, “We are very proud to host with Ursuline College the celebration of this important new federal holiday. It will be both a fun and remindful event for all to attend.
Titled “Juneteenth: The Freedom and Responsibility Exhibition,” the Wasmer show opens with a reception during the Juneteenth celebration Saturday, June 18, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It will be on view through August 25. Summer gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 12:00 to 4:30 p.m. The Wasmer Gallery is in Ursuline’s Mullen Building.
Curated by Wasmer Gallery Director Anna Arnold, “Juneteenth: The Freedom and Responsibility Exhibition” will include powerful works of 10 Northeast Ohio artists. “This show will create a stunning visual dialogue recognizing racial and social inequities in our region and inviting residents and visitors to participate in shaping our community's future," Arnold said.
