Stop the Violence Pittsburgh receives $15,000 to help fund Juneteenth celebrations
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Wolf administration announced a series of grants to help fund Juneteenth celebrations across the state.
Juneteenth is a federal holiday marking freedom from slavery for African Americans. Its anniversary has been recognized in Pennsylvania since 2019.
In total, $89,000 in Journey Through Freedom grants will be split across seven state groups. Locally, Stop the Violence Pittsburgh is getting $15,000.
It is all funded through the Pennsylvania Tourism Office. The grants were awarded based on a number of criteria, including historical significance, educational outreach and volunteer resources.
The money will help make this year's events as special as possible, with music, visual art, history presentations, Black-owned businesses and more.
Leaders on Monday expressed their gratitude for the funding, saying they are proud the state is giving this important holiday the recognition it deserves and uplifting the stories of many who have been under-represented.
In light of the upcoming holiday, which takes place every year on June 19, people of all backgrounds are encouraged to learn and teach their kids about the history of Juneteenth and attend celebrations so we can all move forward together.
The Pennsylvania Tourism Office also announced more than $6.8 million in new initiatives to help promote diversity, equity and inclusion in marketing and product development to help the state be more welcoming for travelers.