Connect with us
DAPA Banner
DAPA Coin
DAPA
COIN PAYMENT ASSET
PRIVACY · BLOCKDAG · HOMOMORPHIC ENCRYPTION · RUST
ElGamal Encrypted MINE DAPA
🚫 GENESIS SOLD OUT
DAPAPAY COMING

NewsBeat

How student art is helping fund change

Published

on

How student art is helping fund change

With a theme exploring identity and unity, the charity Students Rebuild is showing young people how creativity can connect classrooms to communities around the world

A global arts programme has turned the creativity of young people into a million dollars (£790,000) of funding for organisations working to build connection, empathy and unity around the world.

Students Rebuild invites young people aged five to 25 to respond to an annual theme through art, with each creative submission helping unlock funding for organisations working on the issue being explored. The programme is powered by Creative Visions, a nonprofit that supports artists, storytellers and creative activists using media and the arts to drive social change.

Advertisement

This year’s theme is Unique & United, which asks students to explore identity, difference and what it means to live in a more connected world. The theme has prompted young people around the world to make visual art, performances, games, quilts, films and school-wide events about culture, belonging and community.

Advertisement

One of the partner organisations receiving funding through this year’s theme is Choose Love, the UK-based charity that supports refugees and displaced people through emergency aid, advocacy and work with local organisations.

Its connection to Students Rebuild was marked in London on the 12th of June, when Counterpoints Arts, Choose Love and the Southbank Centre hosted an event to launch Refugee Week London 2026, including a preview of a new public artwork by Palestinian artist Malak Matar.

The artwork, commissioned as part of Students Rebuild’s Unique & United theme, is due to be unveiled later this month. It has been shaped through conversations with young people in Greece and Ukraine about what it means to be both unique and united.

Through the Students Rebuild grant, Choose Love is also expanding work with partners including Dobrodiy Club in Ukraine, Refocus Media Labs in Greece and Free Movement Skateboarding in Greece, supporting displaced and conflict-affected young people to learn, process what they have been through and create art in safer spaces.

Advertisement

Dancers took to the stage during the event. Image: Justin L Stewart

The wider idea behind Students Rebuild is simple. Young people learn about a global issue, create a piece of work in response, then submit it online. For every piece of art submitted, or every young person engaged, Creative Visions donates $5 to selected partner organisations, up to an annual cap of $1m.

Advertisement

According to Students Rebuild, young people taking part in Unique & United have unlocked the full $1m after 114,445 participants submitted or helped create 90,720 pieces of creative work.Children simply participating in the programme triggers the funding, giving students a clear way to see that their ideas and creative work can have an effect beyond the classroom.

“Kids come to the Students Rebuild website, and they form teams that are usually led by an educator or an adult,” says Sarah Fanslau, Creative Visions’ director of programme impact and evaluation. “And then they go out and do what we call creative expression, which is really just a form of art. But that can be visual art, it can be STEM, it could be performance and dance. It can be whatever they care about in relation to the arts, as an expression of their thoughts or ideas or work through what they’ve learned about that theme.”

Previous Students Rebuild challenges have seen young people make life-sized board games that teach immigration history, create interactive quilts that tell personal stories when touched, assemble an orchestra of 80 young people in Nairobi, Kenya, to celebrate unity after a fractured year, and host school-wide culture nights sharing recipes, stories and traditions.

Advertisement

For Creative Visions, the programme is not only about where the money goes, but what participation does for young people themselves. Fanslau says the team measures “creative agency or creative self-efficacy”, meaning the belief that art and creativity can help make a difference.

“We’re also measuring those civic or collective self-efficacy and social responsibility,” she says. “Do young people think they can make a difference in the world? Does this programme help them realise their own efficacy or agency in changing the things that are going on around them?”

The programme also looks at social awareness and global issue awareness, asking whether participants come to see that the issues affecting them may also be affecting young people elsewhere. For educators, that can be one of the strongest arguments for taking part: it gives students a way to connect personal experience with a wider world, without reducing complex problems to a textbook exercise.

“We’re really hoping young people are gaining some of those key 21st century skills that we all know folks need for the workplace, including things like collaboration and communication skills,” says Fanslau.

Advertisement

114,445 participants submitted or helped create 90,720 pieces of creative work

Each team has an online dashboard showing how much funding their participation has generated, how many young people have taken part and how many creative works have been submitted. Teachers can share that with families, schools and communities, making the impact visible at a time when arts education is often squeezed.

“The reality is that teachers know the importance of the arts. And so that is why teachers are really our primary audience. And we see such an interest in this programme from educators because of the reduction in time and money towards arts education.”

In that sense, Students Rebuild is making two arguments at once. One is that art can help fund meaningful work in the world. The other is that young people need to believe their voices, ideas and imagination have somewhere to go.

Main image: Justin L Stewart

Advertisement

Be part of the solution

At Positive News, we’re not chasing clicks or profits for media moguls – we’re here to serve you and have a positive social impact. We can’t do this unless enough people like you choose to support our journalism.

Give once from just £1, or join 1,800+ others who contribute an average of £3 or more per month. Together, we can build a healthier form of media – one that focuses on solutions, progress and possibilities, and empowers people to create positive change.

Support Positive News

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

Is ten too young to be criminally responsible? Here’s what the evidence says

Published

on

Is ten too young to be criminally responsible? Here’s what the evidence says

At ten years old, some children may still struggle to tie their shoelaces or use a knife and fork properly. Yet under the law of England and Wales, a child of this age is old enough to be held criminally responsible for their actions. This is the age at which, in the eyes of the justice system, childhood effectively ends. But there could soon be a chance to bring this law into line with that of other comparable nations.

The current age of criminal responsibility sits in stark contrast with other legal protections we afford to children. Prime minister Keir Starmer’s announcement of a planned social media ban for under-16s from spring 2027 is a potent example of this.




À lire aussi :
UK under-16 social media ban: what parents need to know


Under-18s in England and Wales cannot purchase vape products or alcohol. They cannot marry or vote, and they must be 17 to drive. Society has constructed these protections on sound developmental logic: children are not yet adults and the law should reflect that.

Advertisement

The recently published youth justice white paper, which sets out the government’s strategy on young people in the criminal justice system, stated that the government will assess the age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales. But it has made no firm commitment to raise it.

England and Wales have the lowest age of criminal responsibility in Europe, alongside Switzerland. In the Republic of Ireland children can be held criminally liable from 12, while in Croatia it is 14, along with Germany, Italy and Spain. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden it is 15, and it is 16 in Portugal.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has long called for an absolute minimum age of 14, and Scotland raised its age of criminal responsibility from eight to 12 in 2021. Northern Ireland is facing renewed calls to raise the age to 16 following a previous consultation on raising the age from ten in in 2022.

Politicians have dismissed calls for reform by claiming there is no public appetite for change. But leading justice figures have since come out in support of the proposed amendment to the crime and policing bill, due to come into force on June 29 2026. This would raise the criminal age of responsibility to 14.

Advertisement

Raising it to at least 14 appears to have widespread support among the UK public. Crucially, this was consistent across the political spectrum – suggesting it is seen as a question of basic child protection.

What neuroscience tells us

Knowledge of adolescent brain development has advanced considerably in recent decades. A substantial body of research demonstrates that children have developmentally immature brains. Experts can also say with confidence that the brain does not reach full maturation until after the age of 30.

The adolescent brain is characterised by heightened impulsivity, reduced capacity to consider consequences, and heightened emotional reactivity. These traits are neurologically normal, not moral failings. But the intersection of childhood, responsibility and serious violence exposes the deep complexities within youth justice.

Taking victims’ experiences seriously and questioning a system that criminalises children at a younger age than most comparable democracies are not competing goals. A mature justice system can – and must – do both.

Advertisement

But by and large, children who end up in England and Wales’s youth justice system are not budding criminals. Around 66% of children in custody have experience of the care system, and 80% have special educational needs or disabilities.

Around half come from racial minority backgrounds, and research shows that racial disparities begin early – with school exclusions and at the point where decisions are made about whether to divert children away from the justice system. The vast majority of children who have come into contact with the justice system have been excluded from school.

Most children who enter the justice system have been excluded from school.
Ground Picture/Shutterstock

These are children who have been let down by services such as education, healthcare and social care. And any racial disparities they might face compound every stage of this process.

Advertisement



À lire aussi :
Black detainees twice as likely as white detainees to be strip-searched in police custody – new study


Young offender institutions have been condemned as sites of institutionalised abuse. Children can be held in isolation for 22 hours a day, while educational provision is inadequate and rehabilitative support is minimal.

As researchers focused on children and young people at the Institute for Children’s Futures at Manchester Metropolitan University, we bring together legal expertise and criminological insight in the study of children, society and the law. We argue that England and Wales must raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 as a minimum, with a serious ambition to reach 14 in line with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child recommendations from 2023.

This means diverting children away from criminal justice processes and towards the health, education and social support they need. Raising the age of criminal responsibility is not only better for children – it produces better outcomes for victims and society too, with evidence showing that diversion from the formal justice system reduces reoffending far more effectively than early criminalisation.

Advertisement

This is not because children should face no consequences for harmful behaviour – they should. But the system as it currently exists does not rehabilitate, it harms. And no child, whatever they have done, deserves to be processed through a machine that was never designed with their wellbeing in mind.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Amber ‘heat deaths’ warning as heatwave heading to Cambridgeshire

Published

on

Cambridgeshire Live

There could also be impacts on younger age groups

A heat health alert has been upgraded for Cambridgeshire, with temperatures expected to reach up to 28C this week. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat health alert for the East of England.

Advertisement

This will begin at around 12pm on June 18. Cambridgeshire isn’t the only area impacted – surrounding areas such as Essex and Norfolk also have a heat health alert in place.

It will last for about five days until 8pm on June 23, which is next Tuesday. UKHSA says there could be a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups.

The Met Office says of this time period: “Mostly fine with some sunshine. Turning very warm or locally hot, and feeling humid. Winds remain light and variable. Maximum temperature 30c.

“Changeable on Saturday with some spells and showers moving erratically eastwards. Perhaps drier with warm sunny spells Sunday and Monday with temperatures climbing.”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Man United have prepared Marcus Rashford offer response as ‘agents invited to table’

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

There has been an update on Marcus Rashford’s future at Manchester United following his loan at Barcelona

Manchester United are reportedly prepared to turn down any loan offers for Marcus Rashford from Barcelona this summer. United have made their feelings clear about the England international’s future as the summer transfer window rolls on.

Advertisement

Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona, scoring 14 goals and providing 14 assists across 49 appearances across all competitions.

The 28-year-old made it clear last season that he wanted to sign for Barcelona on a permanent deal, but the Spanish giants opted against activating the £26million option to buy in the original loan move, which expired earlier this week.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Rashford is now with the England squad for this summer’s World Cup in North America, and there continues to be fresh updates about the forward’s future.

Advertisement

According to a report in ESPN, United are not willing to let Rashford join Barcelona on another loan deal, but are instead focusing on securing a permanent move this summer.

The report goes on to claim that United have “invited” agents to approach the club with realistic options of where Rashford could join on a permanent basis this summer.

United would have been delighted to see Rashford star for England in their 4-2 victory over Croatia in the World Cup on Wednesday night.

Rashford was not named in the starting line-up by Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel, but made an impact from the bench and scored England’s final goal in Dallas to help secure the victory.

Advertisement

Tuchel praised Rashford’s performance against Croatia and explained why he has been impressed with the United star in training before and during the World Cup.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

“He [Rashford] struggled for us to be decisive when he started, but he was always trying and got a bit unlucky for a long time,” Tuchel told reporters after England’s victory over Croatia.

“We just had a talk (on Tuesday) where I told him that I’m very, very impressed with his last 16 days – how he was in camp, how he pushes on the field.

Advertisement

“He is totally invested in every meeting. He is very, very fast in translating a meeting onto the pitch, what we want tactically.

“He pushes on a very respectful level with Anthony Gordon on the position, so at the moment he’s in a very good place.

“I was so happy that he was the one to unlock this long spell, where he was not decisive for us from within the game, and hopefully he can keep this up.”

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

Advertisement
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Content Image

Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Bolton drivers issued urgent parking warning amid rise in reports

Published

on

Bolton drivers issued urgent parking warning amid rise in reports

Motoring experts at Dick Lovett have raised concerns about “quishing” scams targeting drivers.

It comes just after a year, Bolton Council issued a similar warning to drivers to be vigilant after fake QR codes have been found on pay and display machines around Bolton town centre.

The warning follows new research showing 42% of drivers would scan a QR code to pay for parking without checking if it was genuine, while 19% said they had already been scammed while trying to park.

Advertisement

Alex Lee, motoring expert at Dick Lovett, said: “Quishing is a term used to describe fraud using fake QR codes.

“It’s one of the most commonly used types of fraud for tricking motorists into making parking payments or sharing personal information.

“It is usually carried out by placing fake QR code stickers over legitimate ones on parking machines or signage.

Advertisement

“When scanned, drivers are directed to convincing-looking websites that mimic genuine parking payment services.

“You’ll be asked to give up personal information and payment details, which are then taken by the scammers.”

The survey found 62% of drivers aged 25 to 34 said they would scan a parking QR code without question.

Dick Lovett also found frustration with digital parking systems.

Advertisement

Almost three in five drivers (58%) said they had experienced problems with parking apps.

Two-thirds (67%) said they would prefer to pay at a machine rather than using an app.



DVSA on driving lessons

From May 12, only learner drivers will be able to book or change a car driving test, while from June 9, location limitations will apply when moving a booked test.

Advertisement

This follows DVSA’s announcement that from March 31, the number of changes a learner driver is allowed to make to a car driving test booking will be cut to 2 (reduced from 6).

Roads and Buses Minister, Simon Lightwood, said: “Learning to drive is hard enough without an unfair booking system.

“Learners deserve clear, honest access to tests – not being ripped off by third party sites. These changes put learners back in control, stop the system being gamed, and help make sure tests go to those who really need them.

“I welcome DVSA’s action to make things fairer and support learners on their journey to becoming safe, confident drivers.”

Advertisement

Recommended reading:

DVSA dates for UK driving test changes coming in 2026

DVLA warning to drivers over 70 who risk losing licence

Struggles to keep on top of car admin costing some drivers more, survey finds

Advertisement

Beverley Warmington, DVSA’s new chief executive, added: “We have listened to learners, driving instructors and voices from across the driver training industry on how to make the booking rules fairer.

“Our priority is to stop learners being exploited by third parties and put them in control of booking their driving test.

“The changes announced today will help us achieve that goal and build on the more than 149,000 additional tests delivered between April 2025 and February 2026.”

What’s the worst thing about driving? Let us know in the comments

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

World Cup 2026: Harry Kane ‘greatest striker’ England has had, says Gary Lineker

Published

on

Harry Kane

England face Ghana in their second group game on 23 June at 21:00 BST.

Bayern Munich’s Kane gave England the lead with a retaken penalty early in the first half, before scoring a powerful header to restore his side’s lead three minutes before the break.

“I’m absolutely delighted that Kane equalled my record,” Lineker continued. “His all-round game is, for me, what separates him from all the others.”

Kane’s standout performance comes after Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria, Kylian Mbappe opened his account for France with two goals in the win over Senegal and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland also scored a brace in Norway’s victory against Iran.

Advertisement

Lineker’s co-host Alan Shearer, who scored 30 goals for England including two at the 1998 World Cup, said: “Harry Kane has seen Messi, Mbappe and Haaland all come on straight away and get the goals.

“It’s only a matter of time before he breaks your record.”

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, who was left out of England boss Thomas Tuchel’s squad for this summer’s tournament, said Kane is not just the Three Lions’ best player, he’s “one of the best players in the world”.

He added: “You can’t speak highly enough of him. On the pitch, he’s unbelievable, but, off the pitch, he’s a massive leader.”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

People power saves popular Coatbridge ice rink as North Lanarkshire Council confirms U-turn on replacement plans

Published

on

Daily Record

Faciility at The Time Capsule will remain open following extensive public engagement and reflection on the strong community feedback.

People power has won the day after North Lanarkshire Council confirmed plans to replace the popular ice rink at The Time Capsule have been shelved.

Lanarkshire Live reported earlier this year on how a meeting of the local authority’s communities committee was due to take place to deliberate the plans, which could’ve seen the Coatbridge rink replaced by a play and fitness area.

Shortly afterwards, the council said a decision on the ice rink’s future wouldn’t be made at the April meeting, despite local authority officers putting forward proposals for changes to the facility.

Advertisement

A report presented to councillors outlined options to transform the ice rink into an active dedicated play area, alongside the introduction of padel courts and personal fitness areas.

The paper prepared for councillors suggested the move could increase visitor numbers and generate higher revenue, helping to secure the long-term viability of the site.

But now, following public outcry that included an online petition which has gathered nearly 15,000 signatures, council leader Jim Logue has confirmed it won’t proceed with the proposals following extensive public engagement and reflection on the strong community feedback.

Mr Logue said: “At the communities committee on April 27, the Labour administration instructed that a community-based consultation would be undertaken to collate the views of all interested parties.

Advertisement

“This has now taken place and concluded that 78 per cent of respondents indicated that they wished the ice rink to be retained.

“As such, I can advise that at the council meeting on June 25, the administration will respect these views and not proceed with the recommendations to close the rink.

“However, I would also highlight that this decision poses a number of challenges.

“Currently the public usage in the Time Capsule has decreased considerably by 16 per cent over a two-year period.

Advertisement

“Disappointingly, the consultation also highlighted that 57 per cent of those interviewed stated that they currently do not and would not use the ice rink.

“Faced with the current financial reality facing North Lanarkshire Council and the current operational deficit accrued from providing the Ice Rink facility, I believe the time is now right for the council to meet with all parties interested in future ice skating and ice hockey provision.

“To this end, I will meet club representatives and senior council officers to initiate discussions which will, hopefully, lead to constructive and sustainable options going forward.”

Advertisement

Before Mr Logue’s announcement, North Lanarkshire SNP councillors said they would submit an amendment at next week’s full council meeting to reject the proposed closure of the ice rink – and protect the facility for local families, clubs and young people.

Councillor Adam Smith, North Lanarkshire SNP communities spokesperson, said: “The public have spoken, the clubs have spoken, and the message could not be clearer – North Lanarkshire wants the Time Capsule ice rink saved.

“Despite very limited advertisement, and despite residents being asked to respond to an extremely long consultation document, more than a thousand people still took the time to make their views known. That shows the strength of feeling in the community.

“The council’s own engagement shows overwhelming support for keeping the ice rink.

Advertisement

“It also shows the devastating impact closure would have on local clubs, young people and families who rely on this facility.

“Labour now have a simple choice. They can listen to the public, listen to the clubs, and back the SNP amendment to save the ice rink – or they can force through a closure that local people have clearly rejected.”

Councillor Fergus MacGregor, SNP councillor for Coatbridge South, the ward which includes The Time Capsule, added: “The Time Capsule is not just another council facility. It is part of Coatbridge, it is part of North Lanarkshire, and generations of families have used and valued it.

“As a local councillor for the ward, I know how strongly people feel about this.

Advertisement

“The council’s own engagement confirms what local residents and clubs have been saying from the start – people do not want the ice rink closed.”

*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

UK drivers warned over facing fines for forgetting key dates

Published

on

UK drivers warned over facing fines for forgetting key dates

New research from Lloyds Bank suggests that car owners who miss key deadlines for MOT, tax, or insurance renewals could face fines or higher costs—yet one in five are letting these dates slip.

42% of those surveyed said they find car admin difficult, rising to more than half, 59% of 25 to 34-year-olds.

Among those who have missed these tasks, more than one in 10 said they went on to face higher costs or fees as a result.

Advertisement

Warning as drivers face penalties for forgetting key dates

Nick Williams, managing director of transport at Lloyds, said: “Juggling multiple apps, deadlines, and rising costs means things can slip through the cracks for people trying to stay on top of their car admin.”

To support its customers, Lloyds has launched a new “manage your car” feature in its mobile app, offering reminders for MOTs, servicing, and insurance all in one place.

The goal is to help drivers stay organised and avoid unnecessary penalties.

The bank said the app features are available to all Lloyds customers, regardless of who provides their car finance.

Advertisement

Lloyds commissioned YouGov to carry out the survey, which was carried out in May among more than 2,000 people across the UK.

Other apps to help people keep on top of car admin are also available.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said the myRAC app has four million users, adding: “You don’t need to be a member of the RAC to download it.”

Advertisement

UK drivers warned of £1,000 fines for using navigation apps

Drivers are being warned not to enter destinations into navigation apps while behind the wheel.

Motoring experts have stressed that using mobile devices in this way can result in fines, penalty points, or even prosecution.

Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing, said: “Navigation apps are incredibly useful, but this case is a reminder that even just typing in an address into your map app while behind a wheel can still be treated as a serious driving offence.


Recommended Reading

Advertisement

“A lot of motorists may think there is a difference between texting someone and quickly changing a route or entering a postcode, but if you are holding and interacting with your phone while driving, you are putting yourself at risk.

“The same applies when you are stationary in traffic.

“You are still in control of the vehicle, and traffic can start moving again at any moment.

“That short distraction could be enough for police to decide that you are not properly in control.”

Advertisement

Have you ever missed a key date for your car payment? Let us know in the comments how you handled it.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

How food became a powerful symbol of freedom on Juneteenth

Published

on

How food became a powerful symbol of freedom on Juneteenth

“Visiting Comanche Crossing on Juneteenth felt like freedom,” my father said as we pulled into Booker T. Washington Park, the site near what used to be known as the historic Comanche Crossing on Lake Mexia in Texas. “Listen, Bobby, this place would be full of Black folks cooking, dancing, and playing music. It was a big festival with fireworks and a party.”

It had been more than six decades since my father had visited the park in the summer of 1965. But he sounded like a little kid again as he breathlessly recounted all the food: “We would have barbecue ribs, chicken, brisket, blood sausage, raccoon, armadillo, fried chicken, potato salad, beans and yellow meat watermelon, and we had to have that Big Red Soda – you know it was created in Waco, right? – banana pudding, peach cobbler, pecan pie, white coconut cake, German chocolate cake, berry cobblers, pies and homemade ice cream.”

Long before Juneteenth became a national holiday in 2021 and Texas commemorated it as a state holiday in 1980, the park was where generations of my family would join thousands of Black Texans every June to celebrate June 19, 1865.

That was the day Union troops informed enslaved Africans in Texas that they were free, two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation and six months before the ratification of the 13th Amendment, which officially abolished slavery in the U.S.

Advertisement
The park was where generations of my family would join thousands of Black Texans every June to celebrate June 19, 1865
The park was where generations of my family would join thousands of Black Texans every June to celebrate June 19, 1865 (Getty Images)

Comanche Crossing lies less than 3 miles north of the site where the region’s enslaved people first learned of their freedom, and it’s where they decided to celebrate with a feast from their harvest.

Yet the story of Black Texans – and how they shepherded the traditions of Juneteenth celebrations through food for over a century – is a central part of this history that receives scant attention.

I’m a native Black Texan, so Juneteenth is personal. And I thought I fully understood its significance while I devoured smoked pork ribs, summer sausage and brisket, year after year, at my paternal grandmother’s house in my hometown of Fort Worth.

But now, as a scholar of Black food culture, I see these celebrations differently. The mouthwatering spreads that were laid out each year did more than nourish Black Texans. They celebrated the way food was wielded as a tool of resistance and a symbol of freedom during and after slavery.

The freedom feast

Advertisement

As we continued walking through Comanche Crossing, I asked my father what he remembered about preparing food for Juneteenth.

By summer 1965, he recalled, they were living in Fort Worth but traveled back to his hometown of Waco the night before Juneteenth to help his family cook for their annual Comanche Crossing trip. He recalled that the cooking lasted all night, with the meat smoked to perfection over the pit, while other family members, including my grandmother, assembled dishes for the next day, using mostly fresh ingredients and farm-raised livestock. The food was packed up on the morning of June 19, and then the whole family headed for Comanche Crossing.

“And that’s when we would really have a time,” he said.

Yet the story of Black Texans – and how they shepherded the traditions of Juneteenth celebrations through food for over a century – is a central part of this history that receives scant attention
Yet the story of Black Texans – and how they shepherded the traditions of Juneteenth celebrations through food for over a century – is a central part of this history that receives scant attention (Getty Images)

As my father excitedly described all the food and its preparation, I thought of culinary historian Jessica B. Harris, who, in her 2011 book, “High on the Hog, wrote, “The backbone of Juneteenth festivities has always been the table.”

Each family that came to Comanche Crossing prepared their own unique dishes for the Juneteenth spread.

Advertisement

“You can’t pinpoint how each family would prepare the foods,” my father said, “but you know you would see smoked meat for sure because that was our main tradition.”

For my family, smoked meat and potato salad were nonnegotiable.

The smoked meat echoes the ritual of hog killing that has long been part of the rural Black experience. The practice was one of the few moments when enslaved people exercised a measure of control over their food. Potato salad symbolized the abundance of the harvest of the land, putting on full display the agricultural knowledge and labor of the enslaved.

After emancipation, these traditions symbolized more than just celebration for Black Texans. They reflected what I called “emancipatory food power” in my first book, “Food Power Politics” – the ability of Black communities to use food as a resource for survival, self-determination and freedom.

Advertisement

A portal into the past

When we approached the large, elevated dance pavilion, the park’s largest structure, my father remarked, “It seemed much bigger to me as a kid.”

He wasn’t wrong. The current structure isn’t the original, which was destroyed by a fire in the 1990s. But for my father, it nonetheless conjured memories of him and his cousins “running around it and watching the adults dance and just be free.”

He said it reminded him “of that Sugar Shack picture.” He was referring to the iconic 1970s painting by Black artist Ernie Barnes depicting a group of exhilarated Black men and women enthusiastically dancing, arms and legs splayed every which way, to live music at a juke joint – a type of informal gathering place that emerged in rural Black communities in the American South after emancipation.

Advertisement

I watched as my father walked under the pavilion and around the park and thought about his recollections: a portal into those earlier Juneteenth celebrations in Texas, when those who attended were just one or two generations removed from enslavement. It was a brief glimpse into how deeply they treasured that day.

Black Texan and historian Amilcar Shabazz picks up on that thread in his 2004 book, “Advancing Democracy”:

“Before Black Texans had their own history, schools, churches … they had Juneteenth. It may not have looked like much in the eyes of an arrogant world, but it was everything Black Texans had, and they each loved and cherished that day with all their heart … and most important of all, they remembered.”

A homecoming 60 years in the making

Advertisement

As my father and I walked back to the car to get back on the road, I could tell that he could have stayed there, reminiscing, for hours.

He kept glancing around, as if his cousins, aunts, uncles, mother, grandmother and great-grandparents were right there with him in spirit, in their own little corner of Comanche Crossing, passing around dishes, filling plates and toasting to freedom.

But once we were in the car, his tone changed. He began talking about the 1981 tragedy at the park, which rocked the Mexia community to the core. Three Black boys, known as the “Comanche Three,” were being transported by three police officers across Lake Mexia in a small aluminum boat. Some type of accident occurred on the water, and all three boys drowned. The three police officers survived. To this day, the circumstances of what happened that night remain unclear.

About the author

Bobby J. Smith II is an Associate Professor of African American Studies, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This article was first published by The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

Advertisement

While the tragedy disrupted the future of Juneteenth celebrations in Comanche Crossing, the events continued, though the number of visitors declined dramatically. But it didn’t erase the past from the minds of Black Texans like my father.

Clearly, the smell of barbecue, the sound of music and the love of community and family lingered in him.

In many ways, returning to Comanche Crossing after more than 60 years was a homecoming for my father. It was one for me, too. Through his memories, I came to see myself in the Juneteenth story – both personally and intellectually.

“I’m glad that I got the chance to see this place again in my lifetime,” my father said, holding back tears as Comanche Crossing disappeared in the rearview mirror.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Town council passes no-confidence motion in North Yorkshire Council

Published

on

Town council passes no-confidence motion in North Yorkshire Council

The vote was taken by Knaresborough Town Council after a debate in which members claimed the unitary authority was guilty of “systemic neglect and central apathy” over its handling of services in the town.

Councillors raised various issues at the meeting on Monday, ranging from the management of historic sites to the maintenance of a public paddling pool and grass cutting.

The issues included:

  • Maintenance and investment at local sites such as Knaresborough House and Knaresborough Castle
  • Infrastructure problems including concerns over Viaduct Terrace and the condition of historic cobbled streets
  • The closure of the town’s paddling pool and the condition of public toilets at Waterside
  • Traffic congestion and parking issues on the High Street, alongside concerns over signage and tourism support

The motion was tabled by Councillor Matt Walker and seconded by Councillor Hannah Gostlow, both Liberal Democrats.

It was backed by all but one councillor in the chamber.

Advertisement

Cllr Walker said the vote sent an “incredibly powerful message” to the council’s headquarters in Northallerton.

“Knaresborough is standing together, and we have had enough,” he added.

Knaresborough Castle: Photo: David Dixon/Geograph Britain and Ireland. Licensed for use under Creative Commons.

“We were promised that local government reorganisation would improve services. Instead, it has lived up to none of its promises. North Yorkshire Council simply doesn’t work.

“The influx of messages I received from residents ahead of this vote proves this isn’t just a political issue —it’s a community-wide crisis.”

Advertisement

Cllr Gostlow said the town council wanted to hold talks with North Yorkshire Council over a devolution deal to take responsibility for the services and property it runs in the town.

She added: ​“When councillors, across parties, unite behind a common position, it reflects widespread concern about the current situation.

“We want to see constructive discussions begin on a local devolution deal that would enable Knaresborough Town Council to take on greater responsibility for local assets and services, with the resources needed to deliver for residents.

“We believe local decisions are often best made by those who know the town and its needs most closely.”

Advertisement

The town council said it would now formally submit the declaration of no confidence to the leadership of North Yorkshire Council, alongside a demand for an immediate capital investment package and the commencement of local devolution talks.

In response, the leader of the Conservative-controlled authority, Councillor Car Les, said: “I can confirm we have received this from Knaresborough Town Council and while disappointed to receive it, we will be very willing to have a meeting with them at the earliest opportunity to discuss this.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

West Lothian man rushed to hospital for treatment following three car crash

Published

on

Daily Record

Police Scotland received reports of the collision at around 4.30pm on Wednesday, June 17.

A West Lothian man was taken to hospital for treatment following a three-car crash on the A71 at Oakbank Roundabout near Livingston.

Advertisement

Police Scotland received reports of the collision at around 4.30pm on Wednesday, June 17.

Officers attended and closed the road to allow for the vehicles to be recovered. The road has now reopened to motorists.

The authorities have confirmed that enquiries into the crash are ongoing.

A Police Scotland spokesperson added: “Around 4.30pm on Wednesday, 17 June, 2026, we were called to a report of a crash involving three vehicles on the A71 at Oakbank Roundabout, Livingston.

Advertisement

“Emergency services attended and one man was taken to hospital for treatment.

“The road was closed to allow for recovery and has now reopened.

“Enquiries are ongoing.”

Don’t miss the latest news from the West Lothian Courier. Sign up to our free newsletter

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025