153rd Junteenth Celebration in Fort Worth, Texas

Community and local leaders unite to remember Juneteenth with weekend celebrations

DALLAS – May 17, 2018 – PRLog — The 153rd Juneteenth Anniversary Celebration is a culturally diverse experience that impacts a multi-cultural audience. The annual attendance for the Fort Worth events has recorded more than 20,000 including participants, vendors, and spectators over its history. Juneteenth week (June 11-19) activities include a Youth Choir Explosion Workshop, Breakfast of Prayer Service, Miss Juneteenth Pageant, Parade and a 5K Walk/Run. The weekend highlight is the Community Festival at Tarrant County College – South Campus with entertainment by Grammy award-winning songstress Ann Nesby, children’s area, food vendors, the “Empowering You” event and BBQ Cook-Off. The finale event of the celebration is the screening of the  Black-ish episode “Juneteenth: The Musical”  and community forum.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.  Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with the news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. The historical significance affects not only African Americans in Texas but also the many others who have stood for racial injustice nationally and around the world.

Juneteenth Community Festival (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/juneteenth-community-festiva…) –  Admission is free.
Saturday, June 16th Community Festival

Tarrant County College – South Campus (5301 Campus Fort Worth, Texas 76119)

7:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 5K/1 Mile Walk/Run Registration (http://juneteenthfreedomfest.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?i…)

8:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 5K/1 Mile Walk/Run (http://juneteenthfreedomfest.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=9375)

9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Parade (https://juneteenthftw.weebly.com/parade.html)

11:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m. Festival Kickoff / Main Stage

11:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. “Empowering You” Event (http://www.juneteenthftw.com/empowering-you.html)

Activities include: Food & Retail Vendors, Video Games Truck,  Bounce Houses/Kid’s Area, Car Show and Youth Art Show & Competition

Vendor Registration Information (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe1iOGHNdYkLOnfItRj3cGbdTsS7n_hu3mlSKWbvdhwMuYHOg/viewform)

Dione Sims Email: unityunlimited@hotmail.com – (817) 738-6055
Key Community Leaders Involved: Congressman Marc Veasey (https://veasey.house.gov/), Tarrant County Commissioner Roy C. Brooks (http://access.tarrantcounty.com/en/commissioner-1/about-us/roy-c-brooks.html), State Representatives Nicole Collier (http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=95) and Ramon Romero (http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=90), City Council Members Gyna Bivens (http://fortworthtexas.gov/district5/)and Kelly Allen Gray (http://fortworthtexas.gov/district8/).

About Unity Unlimited

Unity Unlimited, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose main mission is providing educational activities and resources to people, young and old, to foster unity and harmony within the community, the city, the state, the nation and the world regardless of race, culture or denomination. In support of its mission, the non-profit produced Teen Choir Explosion, a free week-long fine arts workshop that encouraged multi-cultural exchange of ideas and exposure to different styles of songs and expression for 10 years. To continue the support of its mission to provide activities that foster and support racial harmony and understanding, Unity Unlimited is proud to work with Mrs. Opal Lee in producing the Annual Fort Worth Juneteenth Community Celebration which seeks to educate people on the importance of commemorating when the last slaves were empowered by the news of enforced freedom granted them by the Emancipation Proclamation albeit two and a half years later.

Juneteenth celebrates the many lives that helped to abolish slavery and acknowledges that a collaborative effort was necessary to help gain freedom and it will take the same to retain it.  Unity Unlimited, Inc. seeks to provide meaningful opportunities regardless of the form in which the events may be presented, including but not limited to workshops, expositions, concerts, rallies and lectures to help develop understanding of cultural differences by bringing all backgrounds together working to accomplish a common goal thereby  producing knowledgeable and caring citizens.

WFAA 8- Interview: Juneteenth Fort Worth Celebration

Builders of Hope Community Development Corporation Names James Armstrong III President and CEO

West Dallas Community Leader to Lead Builders of Hope CDC Through Next Phase of Growth

Tuesday, January 23, 2018 — Builders of Hope Community Development Corporation announced that its board of directors has appointed James Armstrong III, as the new President and CEO, effective immediately.  As President and CEO, James will continue the development corporations mission to transform Dallas urban areas by building affordable housing, providing homebuyer education, workforce development, and community pride.

“I am honored to be named as the next CEO of Builders of Hope Community Development Corporation, an organization with a 20-year history of transforming urban neighborhoods,” said James Armstrong III. “This is a huge victory in the fight to improve economic mobility in Dallas and I look forward to the work ahead.”James Armstrong III has been an innovative leader for the Community Fellowship Church since becoming Senior Pastor in 2015. Through community outreach programs and corporate partnerships, Community Fellowship Church, under Armstrong’s leadership, has become an instrument of transformation for the West Dallas community and a helpful resource for those in need. Mr. Armstrong’s additional community leadership includes Managing Board Member of the Dallas Housing Finance Corporation, 2nd Saturday Board Member- Secretary, Mayor’s Grow South Advisory Council and the Chairperson of the West Dallas Housing Taskforce.

Builders of Hope Community Development Corporation

Builders of Hope is a Christian ministry transforming Dallas urban areas by building strong families and healthy safe neighborhoods through discipleship, community pride, and the development of quality affordable housing. A major part of maintaining a safe and healthy community involves drawing upon the energy, ideas, and experiences of the residents themselves. Builders of Hope continuously engage the communities in which we build homes on community pride events. Partnering with our lending partners, churches, neighborhood groups, individuals, and residents, Builders of Hope works with volunteers on beautification projects and neighborhood cleanup. When we involve the community not only do they get something tangible such as new landscaping, painted community centers, or painted/rehabbed houses, Builders of Hope receives smiles, engaged citizens, and the confirmation that we are building hope in others.

Builders of Hope operates a unique workforce development program known as Project REACH that combines life skills and character development in an attempt to deal with high unemployment and crime. We strive to make West Dallas, Pleasant Grove, and Oak Cliff an affordable, attractive option for potential home buyers, as well as improve the condition and value of existing homes. Finding and purchasing the right home at the right price can be a challenge. Families on a limited budget, in particular, face barriers such as the shortage of gap financing, credit counseling, and special financing. Builders of Hope homebuyers services staff work with homebuyers to help make the process of purchasing a home less intimidating. Our staff works maintain relationships with realtors, lenders, title companies, as well as the City of Dallas to make the process run smoothly for homebuyers. Homebuyers services work with the buyers and coordination of all involved entities to ensure buyers go from renting to owning and from contract to closing.