Juneteenth is more than a date on the calendar—it’s a call to remember, resist, and rejoice. 

Honoring the tradition, activist and actor Kendrick Sampson’s BLD PWR, in partnership with SisterSong and the Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF), presents Build Power Day x Juneteenth—a transformative two-day cultural communion set for June 18–19 in Houston, Texas. 

This multifaceted celebration is part rally, part block party, and part spiritual revival; honoring the joy, creativity, and political resistance of the Black diaspora through immersive programming from block parties and film screenings to town halls and afterparties—all intended to amplify voices across the diaspora.

“This isn’t just a celebration; it’s a cultural communion,” BLD PWR founder Kendrick Sampson said in a statement. “It’s about reclaiming space, storytelling, and building sustainable systems of Black joy and justice. In a time when our stories are being erased and our spaces for joy are shrinking, gathering in the heart of Houston to celebrate Black liberation feels especially urgent.”

The urgency is echoed by SisterSong Executive Director Monica Simpson, whose organization centers the reproductive justice needs of Black women and communities of color. 

“Culture is one of our most powerful tools to shift narratives, strengthen the Reproductive Justice movement, and build toward collective Black liberation. As our rights, freedoms, and communities are relentlessly under attack, it is essential to create spaces for us to unite, organize, and mobilize.” Simpson said in a statement. “To celebrate Juneteenth, SisterSong is proud to partner with BLD PWR and the Global Black Economic Forum to end our Road to ESSENCE tour on the second annual Build Power Day and unite our communities around Black liberation and joy.”

Taking place at The Ion, Savoy, and Soiree Event Space, the two-day event is also an official stop on the Road to ESSENCE tour, amplifying a national movement focused on Black health, wealth, and justice.

“Juneteenth reminds us that freedom cannot be fully realized without economic power. As we gather in Texas, we’re not just commemorating history; we’re building a future rooted in justice, joy, and self-determination,” President and CEO of Global Black Economic Forum Alphonso David said in a statement. “This Road to ESSENCE event, one of the final stops before the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans, stands at the intersection of economic freedom and reproductive justice. It’s a celebration of our right to thrive—to live, to make decisions about our bodies, and to build generational prosperity with pride and purpose.”

While the programming is filled with activism and education, it’s also steeped in celebration, honoring the legacy of Black Music Month with an inclusive soundtrack that amplifies the diaspora from Afrobeats and Hip-Hop to Soca and Soul, reflecting on the global Black experience. Additional featured experiences also include: The Session: R&B Jam, a live showcase curated by R&B Jams, along with the “Real Talk: The Living Room Experience” hosted by SisterSong, with a focus on Black maternal health.

“Slavery in the United States was not just built on the kidnapping and enslavement of Black people, but through the systematic rapes of Black women and the subsequent enslavement of their children and their children’s children,” Kirsten West Savali, Vice President of Content at IOne Digital said in a statement. “We see brutal echos of this reality in the fact that not only is sexual violence the second highest form of police violence, but Black people are not yet free of the bone marrow deep fear that police officers, descendants of so-called slave patrols, will gun down our children for the ‘crime’ of being born Black.”

“White supremacy and oppression have always been mapped across the bodies of Black women. BLD PWR partnering with SisterSong for Juneteenth in Houston, Texas, is a revolutionary gift. This is what intersectional, abolition work looks like.”

First celebrated in Texas in 1866, a year after enslaved Black people in Galveston were finally informed of their freedom—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation—Juneteenth has since evolved into a national celebration of Black liberation and, most recently, a federal holiday. 

As Black communities across the nation continue to navigate the assaults on bodily autonomy, cultural expression, and civil rights, Build Power Day x Juneteenth is a necessary reminder that joy is a radical act accompanied by the ongoing pursuit of true freedom. This event isn’t just a moment, it’s a movement. 

Check out the schedule below. 

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BLD PWR DAY – Wednesday, June 18

Block Party @ The Ion (3–6:30 PM)

• Black-owned food trucks, art collectives, DJs, and poetry
• “The Pit”: a nostalgic Black cinema lounge
• Activations, including youth workshops, civic education, and marketplace vendors
• Screening (Film TBA)
• “Real Talk: The Living Room Experience” on Black maternal health, hosted by SisterSong x BLD PWR

Evening at The Savoy- Club Karaoke Afterparty hosted by Kiotti

JUNETEENTH – Thursday, June 19

Block Party 2.0

• Soul-charged celebration with curated art, live poetry by Wan Poetry, food trucks, vendors, and cultural programming spotlighting Black freedom and futurism

Evening Programming:

• The Session: R&B Jam — A sonic sanctuary and showcase produced by R&B Jams, featuring live musicians, emerging vocalists, and surprise guests

SEE ALSO:

How To Celebrate Juneteenth While Civil Rights Are Under Threat

Juneteenth Celebrations Lose Sponsorship, Funding

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