Sag Harbor

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and all the wonderful honorees! And fellow homo sapiens. We want to thank The Eastville Community Historical Society for recognizing the UUCSF’s High Impact Community Outreach. For five years, PAC; the Proposal Assessment Committee, worked to support many wonderful and dynamic organizations on the East End. I happen to know both institutions very well being a member of UUCSF and PAC, and one of the proud daughters of Eastville. I am also so proud that in my lifetime, we began to annually celebrate the history of freedom denied, delayed, then redeemed. But the times they are “changing”. Quite fast. I am afraid to ask, “What’s next.” In this zero-sum society, where pluralism is being pulverized, history is not repeating or rhyming, it is refluxing. For years we have supported institutions and Museaum’s in our Hampton’s communities. For years we have been discovering American history. Her, history that was taken for granted, now joyfully celebrated. But today, our foundations are being emphatically dripped away. Now, more than ever, we need to protect Eastville, and out other East End Organizations that tell the whole American story. We can’t take out community’s history for granted, or the stories will be erased. And we have proof of prior attempts. It has been 106 years since the original Juneteenth. Freedom has only existed for 60 years, since signing of the civil and voting rights acts. The Civil Rights Era is not over… yet. And we cannot forget. We cannot forget how our ancestors woke up every day knowing that they were subjugated for their lifetime. Owned. We cannot forget the lessons passed down by our great-grands, grands,and parents and appreciate HOW THEY EXISTED, SURVIVED, and THRIVED in their lifetimes. We cannot forget that over 60 years ago it was school age students who marched, took on fire hoses, and died in a bombing just for going to Sunday school. Those school age kids are our present-day older brothers, sisters, cousins. And we cannot forget our librarians and historians. They are the griots, keepers of the flame. I am adopting the philosophy of looking forward seven generations, even though I have no children. Every child is my child… Even the adult ones. On Juneteenth, I will remember and celebrate my blessings, my freedom, and my womanhood, while asking myself: “Am I really ‘free at last’?” What will we do next? My mother always said: “Do something!” I will add, “PLEASE.” And end saying to you what my great-uncle would always say when we said our good-byes: “YOU STAY WOKE OUT THERE.” Oh- by the way — I want my vernacular back. Lora René Tucker of Sag Harbor is the poetry editor of African Voices magazine and the author of “Writes of Passage.” She facilitates poetry and writing workshops for Stony Brook Southampton Hospital’s Wellness Center and leads antiracism and cultural empowerment workshops.