(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Juneteenth flag waved at the Colorado Capitol on June 19, commemorating the day Union soldiers marched to Galveston, Texas in 1866 to inform thousands of enslaved people that they were free. This is the third year Juneteenth has been celebrated in Colorado as an official state holiday.

Colorado Springs marked Juneteenth all week, beginning with the Juneteenth festival on Friday, June 14. On June 19, many black-owned businesses celebrated and honored their heritage.

“My favorite part about Juneteenth is serving as a black person, as my shirt says ‘Juneteenth I’m black every day but today I’m blackity’,” said Latoya Taylor, bar manager at Club Tilt & Grill.

In recognition of Juneteenth, Americans celebrate and recognize the invaluable contributions that generations of Black Americans have made in communities, to the economy, and the world.

Rafael Thompson, owner of L Seven Premium Fragrances said he’s proud of how the city has come together this week.

“I think it’s a beautiful thing to recognize all people. You know, I don’t look at color as a color, but I feel like it’s important to recognize everything that we’ve been through, the struggle, and just the, you know, how we’ve overcome all of this,” he added.

One of the many ways people are celebrating Juneteenth is by highlighting local black businesses. Taylor said it’s important to hire diverse people in the community.

“I would say the importance of employing other people in the community is giving them a chance. The ones that didn’t get a chance somewhere else that are trying to work. So, we’re open freely to give anyone a chance,” she said.

From 2002 to 2017, the number of Black-owned businesses increased by 31% nationwide. Despite this encouraging growth, Black business owners continue to face hardships.

“I’ve experienced a lot of challenges. I was operating in the malls and unfortunately, we don’t have as much freedom to just go out there and do what we need to do. So it’s, it’s been rough,” added Thompson.

In 2019, Black-owned business sales totaled $217.3 billion with an annual payroll of $40.5 billion.

“It’s been a blessing for us to be able to just, you know, have loyal customers. But yes, it’s been rough out there just as a whole for sure,” said Thompson.

A 2021 poll ranked Colorado Springs in the top 25 cities for Black economic strength. In 2021, 6.5% of the city’s population identified as African American.

“When you hire people in the community, that’s our very own. It’s people who understand where we’re coming from, and what we’re doing. They have the experience already, so they’re starting all over again, getting somebody that doesn’t even know and understand where we’re coming from,” said Jennifer Smith, the Co-founder of OneBodyEnt Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs supports Black-owned businesses through the Colorado Springs Black Business Network and the Colorado Springs Black Chamber of Commerce, which works to advocate for minority businesses.

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