Coral Springs has a strong candidate for Miss Florida Teen USA
Matea Smith is Miss Coral Springs Teen USA A recent graduate of Taravella High School, she will compete for Miss Florida Teen USA at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts July 16 -18. “I was interviewed and I had to present myself well. I am excited about this opportunity,” she said.
Smith was a leader on the Taravella Track and Swim teams and graduated in the top three percent of her class. She will attend the University of Florida and pursue a career in premed and psychology.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Coral Springs celebrates Juneteenth
Coral Springs held a Juneteenth celebration at Sportsplex Park on June 19. The holiday recently recognized by the federal government celebrates the announcement of the end of slavery in Texas after the Civil War.
Juneteenth has become more popular in recent years. In Coral Springs, Vice Mayor Joshua Simmons has led an effort to celebrate Juneteenth with a fun social event. “This is a great activity and people are getting together to have a good time. People enjoy being outside and spending time with family and friends,” he said. He spoke to the audience during the evening.
Mayor Scott Brook enjoyed the event and said, “It is great to see so many people having a good time. We have unity in the community. People are getting together and enjoying themselves,” he said.
May Reign gave a poetry presentation on some of the experiences and challenges African Americans have faced and continue to face in the United States. It was a passionate and strong presentation.
Members of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity from Florida Atlantic University gave a strong performance. Zyon Gilbert, a member of the fraternity said he was pleased to participate in the event.
The Kat Riggins Band performed and the Valeria Tyson Band was the headliner group. “I just want to see smiling faces,” said Valeria Tyson.
During the performance, people danced and enjoyed spending time together. There were food trucks offering a wide variety of items and many people enjoyed eating outside with their families while the bands performed. Children could be seen playing ball together. The evening was very pleasant for an outdoor event.
Juneteenth also known as Juneteenth National Independence Day or Black Independence Day is now a federal holiday. It commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and often celebrates African American culture. It originated in Galveston, Texas and has been celebrated annually on June 19 throughout the United States since 1866. It commemorates the announcement of General Order No. 3 by Union Army General Gordon Granger proclaiming and enforcing freedom of enslaved people in Texas, the last state of the Confederacy with slavery. President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1862 had officially ended slavery in Texas and the states of the Confederacy. But enforcement of the Proclamation depended on the advancement of union troops. There were fewer Union troops in Texas as the Civil War ended and the enforcement of the proclamation had been slow before Granger’s announcement.
