Golden Valley, Minnesota, saw its second Juneteenth celebration last weekend with a run that brought together the community to celebrate freedom, community and togetherness. The Loppet Foundation helped organize the event, which attracted double the crowd as people of all ages and abilities participated in a 5k or half-mile run. Deanna Perkins, who was involved in organizing the event, emphasized the importance of bringing people together to celebrate Juneteenth and be active together.
The day started with an emphasis on health and wellness as people were encouraged to honor Beverly Propes, a public health nurse whose work shaped a generation. Propes reflected on the first Juneteenth celebration in Minneapolis back in 2007 which focused on improving health and wellness. At this year’s ‘We are the Noise’ Juneteenth event on Saturday, University of Minnesota doctors worked to keep that tradition alive by providing outreach and inspiring people from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in medicine.
Perkins pointed out the importance of health and wellness for overall well-being, particularly when celebrating freedom. She emphasized that being healthy is essential for dealing with life and moving forward. Juneteenth is about celebrating freedom and being able to do so healthily. It was a step forward in many ways as people came together to honor their heritage while also promoting physical activity and healthy living.
