Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet Participates in Inaugural Juneteenth Parade and Festival

June 21, 2025 - The Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet joined the City of Poughkeepsie's inaugural Juneteenth celebration, participating in the parade and festival under this year's theme: "Lifting as We Climb: Rising in Power, Rooted in Solidarity." The theme recognizes the strength of collective progress and unity honoring those who came before, lifting one another in the present, and empowering future generations. For the Cabinet, the celebration provided a meaningful opportunity to connect Juneteenth's message of freedom and community empowerment with the organization's mission of building pathways to opportunity for Poughkeepsie's children and families.

The Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet team marches in the inaugural City of Poughkeepsie Juneteenth Parade on June 21, 2025

PCC staff and the newly trained Early Childhood Community Champions marched in the parade, distributing Pan-African and Juneteenth flags along the route. The parade marked the official public launch of the Early Childhood Community Champions, who carried their message of early childhood support through the streets before transitioning to Waryas Park for the festival celebration. At the festival, the Champions set up a table with art projects for young children and engaged directly with families to introduce them to the Bright Roads to Success initiative and enroll parents and caregivers of children ages 0-3 in Basics Insights. Other PCC staff connected with community members at the festival, introducing them to the Cabinet's work building a cradle-to-career system in Poughkeepsie.

The Juneteenth festival served as the perfect launching point for the Early Childhood Community Champions, allowing them to practice the community outreach strategies they learned in their training. By meeting families in a joyful community celebration rather than a formal setting, the Champions demonstrated the initiative's commitment to meeting parents where they are with accessible, culturally responsive support. The combination of parade participation and festival tabling embodied the spirit of "Lifting as We Climb"— the Cabinet and its Champions working alongside the community to ensure every Poughkeepsie child has the foundation they need to thrive, honoring the legacy of those who fought for freedom by building pathways to opportunity for the next generation.