‘How can I stop?’ Charlotte preps for Juneteenth, despite DEI backlash, challenges
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Charlotte hosts Juneteenth events despite rising cuts to DEI-related funding.
- Organizers report reduced grants, cautious language from corporate partners.
- Juneteenth events continue to spotlight Black culture, talent and resilience.
Lisa Michelle and Charlotte-based artist Dammit Wesley are gearing up for a fun-filled day of celebrating freedom and Black culture through music, dancing, fashion, and much more.
They started the ever-growing Durag Festival in 2018, prior to Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday, with the aim of creating a space for young, Black creatives, entrepreneurs and the community.
But when it comes to fundraising and organizing such events, things feel a little different this year because of a broader backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Organizers of events have reported less support than previous years because of it.
Some organizations and companies have stopped emphasizing DEI programs because of President Donald Trump’s executive order signed in January. Trump’s order ended what it called DEI “discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending.”
However, for Michelle, the show must go on for the community in honor of Juneteenth — a federal U.S. holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the country.
It’s celebrated around or on June 19, marking the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed enslaved people that they were free — two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
Michelle and Wesley named the festival after the hair garment, the ‘durag,’ as a symbol of protection.
“The durag is a symbol of just protecting ourselves, because it’s a garment that pretty much most people in the Black community know about or use, that we tie around our heads at night, to protect our hair, keep our hairstyles fresh,” she said. “And so we took a spin on that in terms of just protecting the culture, safeguarding it, making it sacred.”
This year’s celebration is scheduled for 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 21 at the Blackbox Theater, 421 E. Sugar Creek Road. The festival celebrates Juneteenth as a twofold occasion: to reflect on the meaning of freedom and to highlight and support the talent within the Black community.
“It’s not so much about harping on the pains and struggles, but it’s really about being able to highlight all the amazing talent, all the amazing people within our community, and how we can support them to further that,” she said.
Organizers of the Durag Festival believe they may have experienced a direct financial impact, as a result of Trump’s executive order or organizations shying away. This includes a grant of $20,000 that was “slashed in half,” after the order went into effect, according to Michelle. The name of the grant and organization was not disclosed.
Beyond finances, community partners that work with the festival are becoming more strategic or removing language that explicitly supports minority communities to avoid scrutiny.
“We’re very upfront about supporting Black and Brown creators, and so even that has been under scrutiny in terms of how other partners have to position their support for us,” she said. “We’ve definitely seen an impact.”
She views the pushback against DEI initiatives as an undoing of what’s been established and believes it’s not the right direction. Michelle said DEI programs were developed to address historical inequities.
“When we think about the history of this country, there’s an inequity in terms of how the country was built, and so people prior to the administration saw the need to develop programs and invest in ways to try to start to mitigate that gap,” she said. “Obviously we have a ways to go.”
Despite the challenges, she encourages the community to support Durag Fest and other Juneteenth events, emphasizing the event’s community-centered nature and its long-standing commitment to showcasing local businesses.
Honoring freedom and history
Pape Ndiaye, founder of the Juneteenth Festival of the Carolinas, is also looking forward to the celebration.
“How can I stop?” the Senegal native said.
Ndiaye, owner of the House of Africa gallery in Plaza Midwood, has been involved with Juneteenth events for nearly 30 years. When he came to Charlotte in 1997, a celebration was nowhere to be found in the city, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
The festival has attracted artists, musicians and vendors for almost three decades. This year, the event will take place from June 12 through June 15 at 1215 Thomas Ave. Some of the activities include a youth day camp, drum circle, street festival, health fair, a gospel show and other ceremonies.
The Freedom March is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, starting at Skyla Credit Union, 718 Central Ave. It will end at the House of Africa.
“Our aim is not trying to recreate the past, but we share in the spirit of freedom and togetherness because I believe that we are all one,” he said. “I believe also that Juneteenth is not just an African-American holiday. But it is a piece of American history. So we all need to celebrate Juneteenth.”
Ndiaye said the festival is being impacted by cuts from corporate sponsors and small businesses. But he’s not sure if it’s related to DEI cutbacks. The names of the sponsors were not disclosed.
It’s not an easy and cheap task to host the event. Security is around $22,000 and staging and sound equipment is about $12,000 for the event, Ndiaye said as examples.
In 2021, Calstain Ganda opened the Real African Art Gallery in the McCollough Commons shopping center in the university area of Charlotte. It features exhibits and art pieces from his home country of Zimbabwe and other countries like Malawi, Tanzania, and Kenya. It’s located at 440 E McCullough Drive, unit A111.
The gallery is also available as an event space for small social gatherings. For Juneteenth, Real African Art are hosting special celebrations throughout June for its Sip & See series with wine and music for visitors.
After offering the space, Ganda has seen a decrease in DEI-related events compared to previous years. For Black History Month and Juneteenth, Real African Art did not have a Fortune 500 company use their building.
“What’s the driver for that?” he questioned. “Some will cite mainly financial reasons or the appropriation of such resources by an organization. In one case, one organization invited me to bring some art pieces on their own site as a way to maybe still be a participant, but they were unable to at least have their organization come over to my gallery.”
But regardless of DEI cuts, Ganda said Juneteenth is something that needs to be upheld, especially with Black people overcoming brutal slavery.
“No matter how much people choose to cut here and cut there, it should not be forgotten and should be equally celebrated,” he said. “The African-American community is very much intertwined with the fabric of this nation.”
This story was originally published June 13, 2025 at 5:15 AM.
