New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
‘It’s an opportunity to celebrate my culture’
ELDER HONORING CEREMONY RECOGNIZES ‘UNSUNG HEROES’ IN NEW HAVEN
Juneteenth celebrates the end of enslavement in the United States, but in New Haven, the holiday is not just celebrated, it is honored. Diane X. Brown, the manager of the Stetson library branch and a member of the Official Juneteenth Coalition of Greater New Haven explains that Juneteenth is far more than a party.
“It’s a part of my history as a Black person, it’s a part of my ancestors’ history, it’s an opportunity to celebrate my culture, my race, my heritage and to be proud. It’s a moment of reflection, it’s a teaching moment,” she said.
Brown has been involved with the Juneteenth event coordination in New Haven since 2013 when she and Artsucation Academy Network founder and coalition member Hanan Hameen got together and held the first Elder Honoring Ceremony nearly a decade ago as part of the celebration.
This year’s Juneteenth celebration features four days of events in New Haven, but one of the largest events, and arguably one of the most important events, is the Elder Honoring Ceremony. Since 2013 the ceremony has been recognizing and celebrating the “unsung heroes” who tirelessly give back to the Black community.
“An elder is a person who is identified in the community as someone who not only gives back, but educates and unlifts and has a special place in the community because they are providing in the community in a way that others have not,” Hameen explained. “We’ve had people who have been teachers, storytellers, we’ve had some who were feeding people. We have elders who are doing so many different things on so many different levels.”
There’s also a secretive element to the ceremony the honorees aren’t told in advance that they’re being honored and the number of honorees fluctuates from year to year, Hameen said.
“We keep all of that a secret because it’s a surprise, which makes it all the more special because the elders are just doing the work and a lot of them — if they knew they were being recognized — might not come because some of them are kind of shy or in the background, but they’re not looking for the spotlight,” she said.
Last year’s ceremony honored youth advocate and coach Byron Breland, community activist and member of the original Black Panther Party George Edwards, Eastern Connecticut State University
Brown was the first elder to be honored during the Juneteenth ceremony in 2013 and said she was surprised by the recognition
professor and original Black Panther Party member Elise Browne and community activist Emma Jones as elders.
Brown was the first elder to be honored during the Juneteenth ceremony in 2013 and said she was surprised by the recognition. “It was very honoring. It was very humbling and it meant a lot.”
When Brown was named an elder she also received three gifts, a carved walking stick, African fabric and a carved wooden key to Dixwell Avenue with the handle wrapped in matching fabric.
Hameen explained that all elders receive a walking stick and African fabric and that the third gift is personalized to the work they have done for the community, which in Brown’s case focused on the Dixwell Avenue community.
Brown said that it’s been “beautiful” to watch how the community of honored elders has grown over the years and said she’s made recommendations about those who are deserving of the honor.
“It’s been great just to see different people who are unsung heroes, people who have gone above and beyond in the community,” she said.
At the ceremony the unsuspecting honorees are danced on to the stage by Hameen’s dance company, Keepers of the Culture Performing Arts Company, and presented to the crowd, where they are thanked for their dedication to the community and presented with their gifts. The honorees are given the opportunity to speak and they are presented with a proclamation of their elder status from the city.
“They share an abundant love and dedication and commitment to their communities,” Hameen said. “They will go above and beyond to help others, even sacrificing themselves and taking their personal money and supplies, their time to give and ensure the next generation has what they need.”
In addition to recognizing the elders, the ceremony also recognizes those who are of a younger generation who have given back to their community in a significant way with the mantle award.
“We also do the mantle awards with the elder honoring to make sure the next generation doesn’t have to wait that long to be recognized,” Hameen said.
Last year the mantle award went to community activist and executive director of the Citywide Youth Coalition Addys Castillo and community activist and president of Ice the Beef Chaz Carmon.
As the first person honored with the mantle award a few years ago, Hameen said she was surprised to be the recipient. Hameen comes from a family who has been deeply involved with community engagement as well as a few recognized elders and said she feels a responsibility to maintain it.
“They overcame so much to get us where we are now so I’m just honored and grateful to be part of the legacy and to be part of the mindset and ability to keep it going and to teach the next generation.”
The Elder Honoring Ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on the New Haven Green.