Juneteenth's commemoration is on the anniversary date of the June 19, 1865, announcement of General Order No. 3 by Union Army general Gordon Granger, proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas, which was the last state of the Confederacy with institutional slavery. As of June 17, 2021, Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans.

In the spirit of securing black-protected or owned land, volunteering during Juneteenth is a quintessential time to show solidarity toward this ongoing effort towards freedom! East Point Grown and the ArtsXchange (AXC) have teamed up to offer community members an opportunity to support this long-term objective.

As an exemplary and unique center for community, civic, and arts engagement, East Point's own AXC supports the legacy of Juneteenth with its ongoing, community-garden program, Fresh Oasis Community Garden, which is managed by Champion Gardeners Youth Entrepreneurs (CG). CG is a "black-led" institution offering programming for youth to learn about agricultural business. The youth build and/or maintain their own gardens and sell their produce and products. They learn about growing a variety of plants, inventory, supply and demand, and customer service skills. The lessons learned help the students become successful in other areas of their lives, both as youth and as adolescents growing into adulthood.

Come contribute toward this effort on Monday, June 20th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by volunteering at Fresh Oasis Community Garden. In exchange for your support, go home with unlimited amounts of free compost provided by East Point's own Compost Now while supplies last.