Join us in commemorating Juneteenth in Vermont through a special panel conversation and portrait photography exhibit. Hear stories from the Vibrant Lives: Discovering Our Roots of Black Vermont oral history project, share your own stories, and grow our community ties.
Vibrant Lives: Discovering Our Roots of Black Vermont is a community-driven public oral history initiative illuminating the often-unseen histories, stories, and living legacies of Black Vermonters—past, present, and future. The project involves youth in conducting the interviews, an approach that not only honors the participants’ stories but also provides young interviewers with an opportunity for direct experiential learning from African descendants who have made and continue to make vital contributions to the community. The multimedia project features audio-visual essays freely available online and a photo exhibit that will be on display at South Burlington Public Library June 30 - August 31.
The June 14 panelists will be:
Deacon Roy Hill: Civic Leader, Public Servant, Community Elder.
Dr. Denise H. Dunbar: Educational leader, scholar of equity, community advocate.
Youth Interviewer: Representing the intergenerational exchange that is a foundational element of the Vibrant Lives project.
Elise A. Guyette: co-founder of the Burlington History & Culture Center; author of Discovering Black Vermont.
Irene Wrenner: former VT Senator, primary sponsor and author of the legislation establishing Juneteenth as a state holiday in Vermont.
Vibrant Lives works to bridge cultural gaps and promote understanding among all Vermonters, offering audiences a chance to learn about the presence and perspectives of African Americans—whether native-born, immigrant, or newcomer—who have sought to achieve the American dream and contribute positively to their community. Together, these voices affirm what must always be said clearly: Black lives matter—and they are essential to the wholeness of Vermont’s story.
Amid division, erasure, and deep social reckoning, the Vibrant Lives project asserts that shared stories are a necessity, not an option. In this space, art serves as testimony, literacy as liberation, and intergenerational dialogue as a path toward mutual belonging.
Juneteenth serves as an occasion for all citizens to mark & celebrate the path toward liberty and acknowledge the ongoing efforts required to achieve true equality. Let's honor the occasion together.