Along with so many others in Oklahoma, Mental Health Association Oklahoma marked Juneteenth with celebration and reflection. On Friday, our Oklahoma City peer-run drop-in center, Lottie House, honored that momentous 1865 day that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned they had been freed.
The designation of Juneteenth as a federal holiday two years ago bolstered its recognition as an historically significant moment, one that we have always been proud to support at Lottie House.
Lottie House is located in the heart of Northeast Oklahoma City, an area of the metro that is nearly 73% black or African American, a statistic that nearly parallels the population at our drop-in center.
Festivities on Friday included live music by Sunset & A Band Called Moon, the beat of which inspired dancing throughout the afternoon. Incidentally, the lead singer is a past participant and longtime friend of Lottie House. Chef Ray’s Chicken Kitchen fed attendees complimentary lunch, and our Oklahoma City Street Medicine team was on-site for blood pressure checks and acute care needs. Also present were several vendors, including Oklahoma Human Services, Assurance and our Veterans Services Program.
For KOCO coverage, click here.
Lottie House is funded in part by Bank of America and United HealthCare. Street Medicine is funded in part by Love’s Travel Stops. Veterans Services is funded in part by Boeing and Tinker Federal Credit Union Foundation.