ThoughtGallery.org > Fourth Annual Juneteenth Celebration

Fourth Annual Juneteenth Celebration

A distinguished line-up of honorees including civil rights leader Harry Belafonte, social justice advocate Gina Belafonte, philanthropist Dr. Gail C. Christopher, United We Dream Executive Director Cristina Jimenez, and the #NeverAgain gun violence prevention leaders of Parkland, FL gather for the Fourth Annual Juneteenth Celebration.

This year marks 50 years since the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. With the legacy of his focus on justice still fresh in our hearts and minds, there will be a channeling of his wisdom and convictions. Over 1,800 community and national leaders will gather at the historic Riverside Church in Harlem where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., preached his famous anti-Vietnam War sermon, “Beyond Vietnam,” in 1967.

This Juneteenth celebration gathers the community to reflect on “The Fierce Urgency for Justice Now” for all of God’s children and five distinguished honorees who embody this year’s theme. In the spirit of the first Juneteenth celebrations in Texas in 1865, the celebration includes music, dance, and of course a message challenging us to continue our efforts to become “a more perfect Union.”

490 Riverside Dr., New York, NY 10027

Free and open to all!

About Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes
James Alexander Forbes is the Senior Minister Emeritus of the Riverside Church. From 1976-1989, Forbes taught preaching at Union Theological Seminary. In 1985 he became the first Joe R. Engle Professor of Preaching. After being called as senior minister by Riverside Church, he became an adjunct professor. Dr. Forbes also teaches at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York. Forbes attended college at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a B.S. degree in Chemistry in 1957. He was called to the ministry in 1956 and in 1962 he completed a Master of Divinity Degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York, in 1975, after beginning his pastoring and teaching careers. Forbes became ordained in both the American Baptist Churches and the Original United Holy Church of America.

About Elias Alcantara
Elias Alcantara is the event coordinator for the Fourth Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Riverside Church. He is also the founder and CEO of Bronx Element Strategies (BESt), a social impact and justice strategy consulting firm. Through BESt, he advises private, philanthropic and public sector stakeholders across the country to sustain social justice reform. Current and previous clients include the National Basketball Association (NBA), Columbia University, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Joyce Foundation, and Think North Carolina First. Previously, Elias served in the Obama White House as Senior Associate Director in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. During his five year tenure at the White House, Alcantara was President Obama’s liaison to local elected officials, serving as a primary interface to mayors, county and local officials across the country.











When: Tue., Jun. 19, 2018 at 7:30 pm

A distinguished line-up of honorees including civil rights leader Harry Belafonte, social justice advocate Gina Belafonte, philanthropist Dr. Gail C. Christopher, United We Dream Executive Director Cristina Jimenez, and the #NeverAgain gun violence prevention leaders of Parkland, FL gather for the Fourth Annual Juneteenth Celebration.

This year marks 50 years since the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. With the legacy of his focus on justice still fresh in our hearts and minds, there will be a channeling of his wisdom and convictions. Over 1,800 community and national leaders will gather at the historic Riverside Church in Harlem where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., preached his famous anti-Vietnam War sermon, “Beyond Vietnam,” in 1967.

This Juneteenth celebration gathers the community to reflect on “The Fierce Urgency for Justice Now” for all of God’s children and five distinguished honorees who embody this year’s theme. In the spirit of the first Juneteenth celebrations in Texas in 1865, the celebration includes music, dance, and of course a message challenging us to continue our efforts to become “a more perfect Union.”

490 Riverside Dr., New York, NY 10027

Free and open to all!

About Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes
James Alexander Forbes is the Senior Minister Emeritus of the Riverside Church. From 1976-1989, Forbes taught preaching at Union Theological Seminary. In 1985 he became the first Joe R. Engle Professor of Preaching. After being called as senior minister by Riverside Church, he became an adjunct professor. Dr. Forbes also teaches at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York. Forbes attended college at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a B.S. degree in Chemistry in 1957. He was called to the ministry in 1956 and in 1962 he completed a Master of Divinity Degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York, in 1975, after beginning his pastoring and teaching careers. Forbes became ordained in both the American Baptist Churches and the Original United Holy Church of America.

About Elias Alcantara
Elias Alcantara is the event coordinator for the Fourth Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Riverside Church. He is also the founder and CEO of Bronx Element Strategies (BESt), a social impact and justice strategy consulting firm. Through BESt, he advises private, philanthropic and public sector stakeholders across the country to sustain social justice reform. Current and previous clients include the National Basketball Association (NBA), Columbia University, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Joyce Foundation, and Think North Carolina First. Previously, Elias served in the Obama White House as Senior Associate Director in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. During his five year tenure at the White House, Alcantara was President Obama’s liaison to local elected officials, serving as a primary interface to mayors, county and local officials across the country.

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