ONLINE: Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival

press release: Bluegrass Pride (BGP) and Decolonizing the Music Room (DTMR) are proud to announce Porch Pride’s third weekend, Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival, a virtual festival event which will take place on Saturday, June 19, at 3pm PDT / 6pm EDT. Hosted by Stephanie Anne Johnson and featuring performances by Sunny War, Yasmin Williams, Jackie & Resa, and Jake Blount, the event will spotlight the vital contributions of Black folks to the modern queer rights movement, to LGBTQ+ Pride, and to American roots music -- none of which would exist without Black queer folks, Black trans folks, and Black non-binary folks. 

Watch Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival on June 19, 2021 at 3pm PDT / 6pm EDT on the Bluegrass Pride website, YouTube channel, or Facebook page. 

Co-produced by DTMR executive director Brandi Waller-Pace and BGP board member Lillian Werbin of Elderly Instruments, Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival will honor the holiday that marks the anniversary of the executive order that followed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all remaining enslaved people in this country. The festival is a reverent reminder of those who waited over two years to hear the truth about their emancipation; and a reminder that Black voices, Black contributions, and Black musicians created, innovated, and transformed American roots music to create the fantastic depth and breadth of Black American music that we all enjoy and benefit from today.

The power of partnership and community building has made Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival possible; Bluegrass Pride reached out to non-profit Decolonizing the Music Room to collaborate on the program. “As someone who has worked with both BGP and DTMR, it is an honor to assist in the creation of Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival,” says Lillian Werbin. “Both organizations view Black contributions to music, history, and culture as invaluable and are delighted to celebrate them during Porch Pride.”

As the music industry navigates out of the COVID pandemic, both organizations are focused on highlighting Black LGBTQ+ roots musicians and generating financial support for their work, while also providing safer, more representative spaces for the bluegrass community to gather. While all Porch Pride events are FREE to view and attend, audience members are encouraged to donate to support not only the musicians on the lineup, but also the ongoing work of BGP and DTMR. Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival has also been made possible by generous gifts from Ear Trumpet Labs and Elderly Instruments, as well as being a recipient of the IBMA Foundation’s Arnold Schultz Fund Grant.

Porch Pride is the headline fundraising event for Bluegrass Pride, raising more than $23,000 in its first year. All of the event’s virtual programs are free to view and attend – and will be available to view on our website and channels after air – but we encourage each and every one of our fans, followers, and listeners to donate to support the musicians on our lineups and the ongoing work of Bluegrass Pride. You can support Porch Pride here. You can become a member of Bluegrass Pride here.