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5th Annual Juneteenth Celebration Welcomed 400 Guests

Published by Leah Mulrenan on

Woburn’s 5th Annual Juneteenth Celebration Welcomed 400 Guests

On Saturday, June 21st, the Woburn community came together in vibrant unity for the 5th annual Juneteenth Woburn celebration, held at the Woburn Public Library. Over 400 attendees took part in a day filled with culture, education, music, and powerful messages of freedom and remembrance. Organized by SCI Social Capital Inc. in partnership with the City of Woburn, Woburn Public Library, St. John’s Baptist Church of Woburn, WMHS Black Student Union, the NAACP Mystic Valley Area Branch, and the Woburn Democratic City Committee, the celebration showcased the deep commitment of local organizations and leaders to honoring the significance of Juneteenth and uplifting Black voices.

The afternoon featured a powerful speaking program, kicked off by SCI Deputy Director Philip Gordon. Woburn Public Library Director Hermayne Gordon shared remarks on the library’s evolving role as an inclusive civic space. State Representative Richard Haggerty spoke on continued legislative efforts for racial equity in Massachusetts, followed by a keynote from Dr. Adrian Mims, Sr., founder of The Calculus Project, who spoke on equity in education and empowerment through opportunity. Mayor Michael Concannon issued the official Juneteenth Proclamation for the City of Woburn. The ceremony closed with a solemn name reading, honoring African-Americans with unmarked graves who were enslaved in Woburn. 

Volunteers and staff serving free hamburgers, hot dogs, and Caribbean food to attendees at Woburn Juneteenth 2025.
Volunteers and staff serving free hamburgers, hot dogs, and Caribbean food to attendees at Woburn Juneteenth 2025.
Pictured (left to right): Leah Mulrenan (SCI), Ari Tharp (SCI AmeriCorps Fellow, Woburn Public Library), Emma Valentine (SCI AmeriCorps Fellow, JLM Boys and Girls Club of Woburn), Perla Mabel (Artist), Jhona Xaviera (SCI), Philip Gordon (SCI).
Pictured (left to right): Leah Mulrenan (SCI), Ari Tharp (SCI AmeriCorps Fellow, Woburn Public Library), Emma Valentine (SCI AmeriCorps Fellow, JLM Boys and Girls Club of Woburn), Perla Mabel (Artist), Jhona Xaviera (SCI), Philip Gordon (SCI).
The Woburn Juneteenth lead organizers and partners featuring (left to right) Philip Gordon (SCI), Hermayne Gordon (Woburn Public Library), Mike West (Saint John’s Baptist Church), Jillian Harvey (Mystic Valley Area NAACP), Jennifer Jones (Woburn Democratic City Committee).
The Woburn Juneteenth lead organizers and partners featuring (left to right) Philip Gordon (SCI), Hermayne Gordon (Woburn Public Library), Mike West (Saint John’s Baptist Church), Jillian Harvey (Mystic Valley Area NAACP), Jennifer Jones (Woburn Democratic City Committee).
Decorations inside the library, including a list of former enslaved residents of Woburn, at Woburn Juneteenth 2025
Decorations inside the library, including a list of former enslaved residents of Woburn, at Woburn Juneteenth 2025
Dr. Adrian Mims Sr., founder of The Calculus Project, speaking at Woburn Juneteenth 2025
Dr. Adrian Mims Sr., founder of The Calculus Project, speaking at Woburn Juneteenth 2025

The event ran from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, transforming the Library into a space for celebration and community learning. Inside the library, guests explored a Black Artist Exhibit, participated in creative activities like flag-making and quilting coloring, and viewed the “Flowers of Black History” and Juneteenth informational displays. The day also featured a presentation on unmarked graves of locally enslaved people from author Ben Jacques and Woburn Memorial High School student Girmari Francois (WHMS ‘26). The final activity was a captivating Q&A with Afro-Caribbean interdisciplinary artist Perla Mabel, who shared insights on identity, spirituality, and Black heritage through art.

Out on the Woburn Public Library’s front lawn, DJ Cakewalk (James Walker) kept the energy high with music from noon to 4:00 PM. Visitors enjoyed free Caribbean-style food, burgers, and refreshing drinks, browsed community and vendor tables, and connected with local organizations and community leaders.  

This year’s Juneteenth Woburn would not have been possible without the leadership and hard work of many. In his opening remarks, lead organizer and SCI Deputy Director Philip Gordon gave heartfelt thanks to Jennifer Jones of the Woburn Democratic City Committee, Mike West of Saint John’s Baptist Church, and Hermayne Gordon, as well as SCI staff Nicole Osborne and Vitalie Memeus. Also acknowledged for attendance and support of Juneteenth Woburn were local officials including: State Representative Richard M. Haggerty, Mayor Michael Concannon, City Council President Jeff Dillon, Councilors Rob Toro, Joe Demers, and Chuck Viola, and School Committee Members Colleen Cormier, Jessie Wetzel, James Austin, and Michael Mulrenan.

Juneteenth Woburn 2025 is financially supported by a grant from the Woburn Cultural Council (a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency), the Woburn Democratic City Committee, and sponsorship from Winchester Hospital and Reading Cooperative Bank. Major support for SCI Woburn provided by Cummings Properties.

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans, marking the day—June 19, 1865—when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news of freedom, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Massachusetts recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday in 2020, and it became a federal holiday in 2021.

Categories: Community ConnectionsSCI SpotlightSCI Woburn

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