Scenes from Ujima's 2026 We Create the World: A Juneteenth Celebration

On June 19, 2026, over 5,000 people gathered across Boston to celebrate We Create the World, our annual Juneteenth celebration. Hosted by the Boston Ujima Project and our incredible partners at ICA/Boston, the Museum of African American History, and the City of Boston Equity and Inclusion Cabinet. This year’s celebration spanned two locations bound by water, memory, and movement: the Seaport and Beacon Hill.

Beacon Hill | Museum of African American History

There is a sacred weight to gathering on the steps of the African Meeting House. Built in 1806 by free Black Bostonians, it remains one of the oldest Black churches in the country—a site of strategy, worship, and organizing. From that foundation, and just blocks from the harbor, we opened the day with a Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony, surrounded by elders, children, artists, and neighbors. The Boston Public Quartet filled the space with resonant strings and freedom songs, while we had Cornell Coley lead a drum circle, a Folk Performance by Grace Givertz, and Hip Hop performance by Engongo. 

Families participated in story time, face painting, and kids’ art activities, while others joined the walking tours, retracing the steps of Black fugitives and freedom-seekers who made their way through Boston. Amanda Shea led a poetry workshop and performance, and Hair by Sharita made sure everyone's curls were popping during the hair and nails station activation.

We were proud to feature a group of local Black vendors on-site, including Bold Chic Styles, House of Seven Cafe, Comic Book Thieves, SAHM Creative, The Chocolate Project , Purple Greens Farm, 2 Birds No Stones  and Boston Cookie Kitchen. From handmade gifts to gourmet eats, they offered nourishment for the body and the spirit.

Seaport | ICA/Boston

At the ICA, our presence along the waterfront felt like both reclamation and reimagining. In a neighborhood that has rapidly transformed under the weight of development, we carved out space for community, creativity, and care. All day, the museum was filled with the sounds, smells, textures, and visions of Black possibility.

Our curated film program featured experimental works by Black artists including Bex Oluwatoyin Thompson, Namir Fearce, Ryan DeForeest, Thuthuka Sibisi, and Ja'Tovia Gary, Evan Goodchild. The courtyard pulsed with rhythm throughout the day, thanks to an incredible lineup of DJs and performers. BLXSS, ToriTori, Kieh, and Nay Speaks brought us from R&B grooves to high-energy house music.

Our afternoon art workshops invited hands-on participation and reflection. Joanna Booth led us through All Power to the People! A  Block Printing Collage Workshop, while Rayven Heath led Zine Making & Poster Collage, a workshop on exploring the creative traditions of zines, posters, and community storytelling.

Outside the museum, the Black-owned marketplace buzzed with activity. This year’s vendors included Clothes by Tomo, Emerald City Plant Shop, Saraphym's Blessings, Sankofa Anacaona Botanicals, The Darkest Healing, The Jewelry Bar, and Gourmet Fingerz. At the Zine Fair, visitors could browse, buy, or trade independently-produced publications from AJ's Print & Photo Studio, Bithiah Holton, CHNL, Claudio Eshun, Design Studio for Social Intervention (DS4SI), Gabriel Johnson, Guerrilla Magazine, PIXWORX LLC, SEE.LOVE, Sojourners for Justice Press, and Uzu Studio.

Documentation & Gratitude

Deep thanks to Midas B.K.S Productions, GUTTA, Gregory Annan Jr., and Tailyn Clark for capturing the beauty, brilliance, and energy of the day across both sites. To our production partners, AGE Co. and Noire Impact thank you for supporting the behind-the-scenes magic with precision and presence.

To our staff team: Natasha, Mari, Rei, Geo, Nia, Cierra, Kamaria, Mark, Yusuf, JaNoah, and Alula, your vision and labor made this day possible. And finally, we thank our wonderful communities who traveled from near and far to enjoy the day with us!