They ask me,
“Why do you shine like that?”
And I say—
Because I carry Juneteenth in my bones
Freedom in my blood
Juneteenth is a legacy that I spread
With every step I take.
You see-
My shine isn’t created by sequins or spotlights
It was created by the sounds of broken shackles,
By voices that rose,
By the day that told us
“We are no longer property, but a symbol of power.”
Juneteenth is not just history.
Juneteenth is the heartbeat of freedom,
The rhythm of resilience,
It’s the sound of chains falling
And a community rising.
I come from a long line of survivors-
Who turned their sorrows into song,
Who have bent but never broke,
Who have taught us a world of hope is beautiful
When it was born from struggle and crowned in strength
So I stand here
I don’t just represent myself-
I represent Harriet’s courage,
Rosa’s strength,
Malcom’s truth,
Martin’s dream
And every ancestor
Who made the American dream into a reality.
Juneteenth has taught me
That freedom isn’t just a date.
It’s a declaration
And I declare
I am brilliant with no boundary
I am excellent beyond expectation
I am magic
With the power of a million suns
And the blessing of a million prayers
Tonight I shine-
Not just for a crown
But for a cause.
I shine for the past
I shine for the future,
And I shine like Juneteenth
Bravely, boldly
And finally free.