Photos: Juneteenth celebration in Iowa City offers food, dance, music to remember emancipation

Lakayla Taylor and Kay Williams perform a praise dance for the Purpose Place Church during the Juneteenth celebration at the South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. Taylor said she's been dancing since she was 4. She added sometimes she gets nervous, but she reminds herself who she's performing for. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Volunteers Mohamad Hassan and Vdraldein Sobhe prepare barbecue chicken during the Juneteenth celebration at the South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. Hassan said this was his first time at a Juneteenth celebration, so he decided to volunteer. He added he also wanted to show Sobhe, who’s new to the area, come of the culture. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Owner of Nikki Boo Kids Alyce Winters helps customers at her booth during the Juneteenth celebration at South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. The holiday celebrates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved African Americans in Texas received word that they were free, roughly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Randy Robinson performs an original rap titled “I Won’t Forget” during the Juneteenth celebration at South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. Robinson said he’s been rapping for about 10 years, and he started creating his faith-based raps because he wanted to make music that could bring people closer to God. Additionally, Robinson said it’s important to celebrate Juneteenth so the African American community’s voices are heard. “It’s important to the community because you look around and everybody has their own holiday, and a lot of times people can feel neglected. They can feel like they’re not heard, but by this event being heard and established, it makes people come out and say, ‘We are worth it, and we want to keep fighting,’” Robinson said. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Kingston Green, 4, and Zion Green, 5, jump in the bounce house during the Juneteenth celebration at the South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. The holiday celebrates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved African Americans in Texas received word that they were free, roughly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth officially became a national holiday in 2021. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Volunteers Mohamad Hassan and Vdraldein Sobhe serve chicken to Rickey Dodson during the Juneteenth celebration at the South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. The holiday celebrates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved African Americans in Texas received word that they were free, roughly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth officially became a national holiday in 2021. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Barbecue chicken with Mediterranean spices cooks on a grill during the Juneteenth celebration at the South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Demari Myles, 12, plays basketball during the Juneteenth celebration at the South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. The holiday celebrates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved African Americans in Texas received word that they were free, roughly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth officially became a national holiday in 2021. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Black Voices Project volunteer Susan Vileto serves snow cones during the Juneteenth celebration at South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. The holiday celebrates June 19, 1865, when the last enslaved African Americans in Texas received word that they were free, roughly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth officially became a national holiday in 2021. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Andrew Shepard (left), Devaughn Jenkins (center), and Ladarion Jones clap and cheer after a performance by Randy Robinson during the Juneteenth celebration at South District Market Parking Lot in Iowa City on Thursday. Jones said he’s been enjoying the Juneteenth celebration, and it’s important for the community to come together to celebrate the holiday. “Juneteenth stands for freedom,” Jones said. “If everybody’s not free, then we’re not all free. I believe it’s very important for the community in building that community where we can become one.” (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)