The North Fork Chapter of Coming to the Table, introduced an additional element of warmth to their Juneteenth celebration this year.
As part of the annual parade set for June 28, a community quilt will be presented made up of unique patches created by local individuals, showcasing their respective ideas of equality, freedom and justice.
Participating patch makers picked up a quilting kit from the Floyd Memorial Library in Greenport, the Southold Free Library or the Mattituck-Laurel Library. Each kid included a white 8-inch by 11-inch piece of fabric which would serve as a quilt patch background, along with other materials to decorate it.
Completed patches were due back to the library or the Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church (614 Third St., Greenport, 631-477-0144) on June 9, where the North Fork chapter hosted a quilting circle in lieu of their monthly meeting.
Valerie Shelby, a member of the planning committee for the organization, pieced together the submitted patches to create the “freedom quilt”.
“This is hope,” says Pastor Natalie Wimberly from the Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church. “We’ve got a Jewish woman, we’ve got a woman from Jamaica, we’ve got women who are in same sex marriages, we’ve got all cross sections of people here. This is what the world looks like. This is diversity, so our message is not lost.”
The completed quilt will be revealed at 2 p.m. as part of the parade and celebration, at the North Fork Art Center (211 Front St., Greenport).
Consistent with the theme of this year’s celebration — “passing the baton to our youth — what do they think of freedom and equality?” — local students were invited to participate in an essay and art contest, addressing the quilt’s theme.
Select submissions will be shown at the NFAC as well.
Juneteenth, a federal holiday celebrated on June 19, commemorates the announced end to slavery in the United States in 1895.
The organization’s June 28 celebration will kick off with some words from Pastor Natalie Wimberly at the Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church at 10 a.m., followed by the parade at 11 a.m. – going from the church to Mitchell Park (115 Front St., Greenport).
At 12 p.m., Batalá, a Brooklyn-based Afro Brazilian drumming group; the New York City-based Harambee Dance Company; the gospel group, Jus B Cuz and other local musicians will perform.
The local chapter of Coming to the Table, a national organization dedicated to racial healing, meets the second Monday of each month at the Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church for discussions and events related to building trust across races by sharing personal stories.
“I think people are looking for that safe space where you can really [discuss] how violent racism is in this community, and we can figure out how together to disrupt and bring people in,” says Liz Welch, a founding member of the North Fork Chapter. “I’m so proud to be a part of the organization.”
To learn more about the North Fork Chapter, visit their website.
