The Dubois Community Center in Mount Sterling is celebrating Juneteenth this month by partnering with the Gateway Regional Arts Center to showcase an art and history exposition. They are also hosting a family dinner, scholarship presentations, and honoring fathers for Father’s Day.
Valerie Scott is a board member for the community center and head of the education committee for the youth and community program. Scott said the art exhibit will feature works from Montgomery County Highschool students depicting black history, in their own unique way.
“We would like for them to look around even Mount Sterling’s history and do whatever they feel, but we want them to make sure we don’t just have a Dr. King/Rosa Parks situation. Which we didn’t, we got some Black Lives Matter, we got some Juneteenth freedom,” said Scott.
Scott added it is important for people to continue learning about black history in a political climate where DEI programs and initiatives are being put under immense scrutiny. In the spirit of this, soil will be collected in memory of lynching victim James Mitchell to be sent to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.
“As you know, what’s going on in the country – that everybody can see – they’re trying to take a step backwards,” said Scott. “Trying to treat history like it’s a division, like we’re dividing the country rather than trying to educate the country about the different significant roles that people play in history.”
The art and history exposition will take place at the community center on June the 20th at 6 p.m. and the dinner and scholarship presentations will take place on the following Sunday from 3 to 5.