Good vibes and celebration for The Layout’s third annual Juneteenth event at Fort Greene Park.

While I’ve known about Juneteenth for as long as I can remember, it hasn’t always been clear how I should spend the day. After missing out on experiencing The Layout in person for two years in a row, I was determined to make it happen this summer. When their annual Juneteenth event was once again announced, it was a no brainer where I would be.   

From live DJ sets featuring soul, R&B, house, and hip-hop music, black owned businesses and vendors, a sense of community and belonging, and general togetherness paired with good vibes, The Layout’s Juneteenth was everything I didn’t know I needed. The experience was an incredible sensory overload of sights, sounds, and the overwhelming feeling of cultivating and embracing BLACK JOY AND FREEDOM.

In many ways black men and women in this country have yet to realize the very freedom and rights that set the foundation for Juneteenth; still, there’s reason to reflect, celebrate, and claim our place in spaces we’ve been excluded from, at every given opportunity.

Hats off to the folks behind The Layout for creating such an opportunity. I’m eagerly awaiting the next gathering. 

Here are a few photos I made on my Fujifilm X100v during the event. Enjoy.