The Lewis Latimer House Museum in Flushing will host its first in-person Juneteenth celebration with a range of activities to celebrate freedom and African American culture on Saturday, June 18, from 2 to 4 p.m.
All ages are welcome to attend the event at the Lewis Latimer House Museum, located at 34-41 137th St. in Flushing.
The event will feature a poetry and portraiture mini-workshop, led by Quentin Felton, a Brooklyn-based writer, creative consultant and teaching artist who is passionate about STEM enrichment and digital storytelling.
Felton’s workshop will encourage participants to draw inspiration from Lewis Latimer’s life as a writer and poet through a creative writing activity, which will highlight lessons on art and literacy.
Interdisciplinary New York City artist Dario Mohr, who creates interactive sanctuary experiences, will hold a Sow the Seeds workshop where participants will write an ode to ancestors on seed paper sourced from a South African-based company called Growing Paper.
The seed cards from this workshop — containing African Daisies — will be planted during a public ceremony in April of 2023 at Old Stone House as a way to create new life from the continent of Africa, on the grounds of Old Stone House.
Mohr’s exhibition “Blood is Thicker Than the Water that Separated U.S.” is currently on display at the museum until July 3.
Artist Sophia Chizuco, a native of Japan, will lead participants in creating Our Juneteenth Flag Installation while teaching about the museum’s history.
Participants will also get a chance to practice self-care through learning Reiki — a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that promotes healing — from Reiki master teacher Erica Thomas Collier.
Free tickets are available to the public here. For more information, click here.
