Tech Events To Check Out This Juneteenth
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that slavery had been abolished – two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The first Juneteenth was observed in 1866 and has been celebrated by Black Americans for generations before finally being recognized as a federal holiday in 2021.
Corporations Pull Support
This year, many traditional Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or canceled due to declining support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, according to AP News.
For example, in Denver, more than a dozen companies withdrew their sponsorship from the city’s Juneteenth Music Festival. West Virginia opted not to fund any events for the first time since 2017, citing budget issues. In Scottsdale, Arizona, the city council dissolved its DEI office, resulting in the cancellation of its annual Juneteenth celebration, while event planners in Bend, Oregon, cited safety concerns and a volatile political climate as reasons for canceling their event.
Tech celebrates Juneteenth
Nevertheless, many Juneteenth celebrations are well and truly underway, including in the tech world. In Huntsville, Alabama, the city’s Office of Multicultural Affairs partnered with Amazon through its Black Employee Network to host its Annual Juneteenth Festival on June 14 for a third consecutive year. This year’s event featured a STEAM Zone, focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics for young attendees.
Upcoming Juneteenth Events
The Wealth Weekend: Juneteenth NYC – Tech, Innovation, and Investment Summit (June 17–18, Brooklyn and Manhattan). Hosted by Black Wealth Events, the summit features partners such as J.P. Morgan Chase and DiversiTech, focusing on transformative investment and inclusive growth.
Juneteenth Tech Forum (June 18, Houston). Organized by Obsidi, this in-person event will bring together leaders from SAP, Intuit, and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise to discuss topics including artificial intelligence and corporate leadership.
Juneteenth Journey: Bridging Past & Present (June 19, Houston). Presented by Blacks at Microsoft in partnership with Ion, this event will explore Juneteenth’s historical roots alongside the evolution of technology, from the Civil War era to AI.
LevelUP Day 2025: Future Forward (June 21, Brooklyn). Hosted by Brooklyn Public Library in partnership with Juneteenth Tech NYC, this career expo and celebration will highlight Black tech professionals and offer coaching, networking, and tech education.
Image credit: Obsidi®
