Governor Kotek Celebrates Juneteenth Holiday in Wilsonville

Gov. Tina Kotek and First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson attended the fifth annual Wilsonville Juneteenth Celebration. The governor joined several speakers, including Wilsonville Mayor Shawn O’Neil, Commissioner for the Oregon Commission on Black Affairs Tai Harden-Moore, and two students from the Wilsonville High School Black Student Union, Tristan Hamilton and Koren Timmons.

“On Juneteenth we honor the resilience and history of the Black community,” Kotek said. “Today, we celebrate this day by celebrating Black excellence. We celebrate by reaffirming our commitment to equality, justice and the fight against systemic racism. Oregonians know that the inclusion of diverse voices in every room does not make anyone smaller – it makes all of us bigger. And celebrating the freedom of one group does not diminish the freedom of others – it makes us all more free.”

The event’s featured keynote speaker, Tai Harden-Moore, is a published writer and speaker who highlights the importance of allyship and the significance of uniting to eliminate institutional racism. Her remarks discussed the power of the collective in making meaningful societal change.

“Our world is in a place that many of us never thought we would see. Folks are sad. Many are fearful.

Tai Harden Moore"Many of us don’t know what to expect from one day to the next,” Tai Harden-Moore said. “One thing I do know is that no matter what happens next, it will take all of us, each and every one of us, to create meaningful change.”

Hamilton and Timmons discussed the significance of Juneteenth and shared information about their club. The BSU has participated in Wilsonville’s Juneteenth Celebration since 2022.

The City of Wilsonville’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee hosted the event, which included music from DJ VNPRT and a drumming performance by Portland’s Anansi Beat. The event also included crafts, a scavenger hunt, live music and giveaways featuring products from local Black-owned businesses like Hibisbloom Najmah Naturals, Rinasaidit, and Third Eye Books.