16 JUNE 13-19, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | of its members retired, moved out or passed on. The neighborhood was going through changes, and the once-massive Juneteenth celebration did, as well. Still, Gentry doesn’t believe it ever fully went away. “It just went back to those smaller, looser events between families for a while,” she says. That all changed again in 2012, when Norman Harris — a fi fth-generation Den- verite with strong roots in the Five Points community — formed the Juneteenth Music Festival to bring back the full-on neighbor- hood event. Like Otha Rice before him, Harris wanted the whole neighborhood to get out and share the block with each other, laughing and eating and drinking and danc- ing. It’s continued since then, and will be happening again on Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16, at 27th and Welton streets, with more than 200 vendors and lots of free live music. The Welton corridor may still be in the middle of its comeback, but Gentry believes it’s well on its way. She lauds small businesses for once again leading the way — specifi - cally, TeaLee’s Teahouse and Bookstore, at 611 22nd Street, and the new location of Welton Street Cafe, soon to open at 2883 Welton, just up and across the street from its original location. But again, Gentry says, it’s not just about supporting the neighborhood or celebrating a mark in history. “It’s also about education,” she says. “It’s so important for people to under- stand what our experiences have been. If we learn more about Juneteenth and study the history surrounding it, perhaps that offers a perspective that encourages more people to stand up and fi ght alongside us,” she concludes. “To understand that there are people in our country that are doing everything they can to take us back to 1865 and even before that, to squash all our free- doms. People from all walks of life are still having to confront this. Native American nations. People of Mexican ancestry. African Americans. People of the Jewish or Muslim faith. The LGBTQ+ community. I feel like the more people understand this history, the more they’ll fi ght for every person. For humanity, for equity. For giving each indi- vidual the opportunity to live their best life.” Juneteenth celebration, Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16, 27th and Welton streets, free. For more on this and other Juneteenth events, go to westword.com/arts. Culture continued from page 14 Colorado historian Terri Gentry. TERRI GENTRY 3004 W. 105th Ave Westminster, CO 80031 303-955-0051 8330 Washington St Denver 80229 303-287-4250 7310 N Federal Blvd Westminster 80030 303-650-4030 ................................. ................................. ............ 1967 Call Elaine Lustig, PhD .......................................................... at 303-369-7770 Needing Your Emotional ....... Animal W/ You? For eligible people who need their emotional support animal to accompany them at/or away from home, I am available to provide the documentation and counseling. CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED
