We were glad to meet so many of you this weekend at the Juneteenth celebration in the South End of Albany. As we know, Juneteenth marks the day, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced that the Civil War had ended and all enslaved people were free. Because the Union army did not have a strong presence in Texas, the news did not make it to everyone until June 19, 1865 and former slaves were systemically held in bondage for that time as a result.
At this celebration of freedom with the Alice Moore Black Arts and Cultural Center, our Land Bank team was glad to meet more than 100 people throughout the day. We had nearly 30 people subscribe to our newsletter for updates and information. We built A LOT of new homes - about 30 bird houses - with our young builders. We also collected some insightful feedback from the community about what they want here in Albany County which we will continue to use to guide our work.
Check out some of the pictures from the day in our gallery below!
