Nearly 100 kids at the Overtown Optimist Club’s Juneteenth celebration jumped with excitement when a six-member Bahamian Junkanoo troupe marched into the gym. Wearing brightly colored ornate costumes, the band members handed out maracas to the crowd and invited them to join them for a conga line.

Throughout Miami, Juneteenth moments like this conveyed the joy of the federal holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation and education of Black people.

“We started in 2022 and have done it every year since,” said Overtown Optimist Club executive director Ieshia Haynie. “It is super important to think about our wellness and longevity as a community and that we appreciate that our families and ancestors have persisted. We want [the kids] to think about the joyfulness that can be found in knowing your culture.”

The kids in attendance played games, meditated and danced to clean versions of hit songs from Ice Spice played by a DJ. Jeremy Grant volunteered at the event and his 8-year-old daughter Olivia is a cheerleader at the center. He believes the Juneteenth celebration is important in helping a changing Overtown maintain its identity.

“The area’s being gentrified and [Haynie] cares about not only the new community members, but those originally from here,” he said.

In North Miami, guests wore exuberant colors to embrace their culture at Florida International University’s Juneteenth celebration Wednesday afternoon. The keynote speaker, Dr. Tameka Hobbs, shared her passion about Juneteenth.

“Juneteenth is a great time to educate ourselves on what we did to come to this point and reflect on African American history,” said Hobbs, the regional manager for the Broward County Library African American Research Library and Cultural Center. “Until we’re all free, none of us are free”

Hobbs is also an author, activist, and producer of a documentary called “Before Juneteenth,” available on YouTube, dedicated to the teachings of the holiday.

“I think the beautiful thing is everybody getting in on it. Miami Gardens, Richmond Heights, and Homestead are all having celebrations to look at the contemporary now and going forward,” said attendee Latoya Allen.

Allen brought her 10-year-old son, Eli Petrie, who enjoys Juneteenth and its history. Allen appreciated that the event educated guests about Juneteenth’s importance.

“I like that the ceremony gave me a comprehensive overview of why Juneteenth should be about, for the community and for everyone,” she said.

Down the road at the Miami Children’s Museum in Watson Island, the museum staff cleared their schedules to celebrate today’s festivities.

Children danced, made flags with the rich colors representing Juneteenth and participated in a huge parade celebrating the legacy of the holiday.

“Juneteenth shows the freedom that everybody’s entitled to,” said the museum’s creative and brand manager Traves Lebron. “The museum is doing a great job in letting the children learn the culture and embrace the celebration of their freedom with their families.”