Yaba TV to Host 1st Annual Juneteenth Cultural Celebration Remembering Freedom Delayed and Honoring African Heritage

LONG BEACH, CA, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Juneteenth is more than a national holiday. It is a sacred remembrance. A celebration of freedom delayed but not denied. On Saturday, June 14, 2025, Yaba TV presents its 1st Annual Juneteenth Cultural Celebration at the Crystal Ballroom inside the Golden Sails Hotel at 6285 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, CA 90903 from 7 PM to 11 PM. With free parking available, the community is invited to bring their families, elders, neighbors, and stories to a vibrant, heartfelt evening that pays homage to the legacy of freedom through African traditions.

The celebration is produced by Elizabeth Sia Sia Yaba, founder and CEO of Yaba TV & Radio Shows and a proud member of the Kono Tribe of Sierra Leone. A cultural visionary and media pioneer since 1992, Sia Sia is known for championing stories that bridge the African diaspora with African American communities through education, culture, and activism.

"Juneteenth is important to grassroots Africans because the “slaves” in question were or are of African descent," said Yaba. "When Africans commemorate, it comes with singing and dancing, along with authentic cuisine, and that’s what we are doing on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at our Juneteenth cultural celebration. Juneteenth tells the struggle and fight of our forefathers, reminding us of the hard work of the enslaved for freedom."

On June 17, 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday. Juneteenth marks the announcement of emancipation to enslaved African Americans in Texas on June 19, 1865—more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. For many African and African American communities, it remains a time to reflect, rejoice, and reassert identity.

“Juneteenth is personal for us,” said Yaba. “The enslaved people were of African descent, and our way of honoring them is rooted in joy—through music, dance, food, and family. It’s how we heal. It’s how we remember. It’s how we rise.” The program includes high-energy performances by cultural dancers representing Senegal, Guinea, Nigeria, and Ghana, a live musical set by Windy Barnes and The Influentials, and a specially curated dinner featuring African dishes such as jollof rice, pounded yam, and efo riro, a Nigerian spinach stew.

Among the evening’s confirmed special guests are:

Sharifah Hardie, California gubernatorial candidate
Councilman Jonathan Bowers, Compton District 3
Mayor Emma Sharif, City of Compton
Mayor Tasha Cerda, City of Gardena
Mayor Rex Richardson, City of Long Beach
Councilmember Bridget Lewis, City of Torrance
Award-winning actor Idrees Degas

Bowers, who began his public service career in 1979 as an EMT at Martin Luther King Hospital and later served as a firefighter with the Compton Fire Department, will deliver remarks. A Compton resident of more than 60 years, Bowers offered this powerful reflection, “This is more than a celebration. This is a spiritual homecoming,” said Bowers. “Juneteenth reminds us that our ancestors survived the unthinkable so we could thrive. We dance not just in tribute—but in triumph. We eat the food they preserved through pain. We speak the names they were forced to forget. And we stand tall, together, because we are the legacy. We are the freedom. We are still here.”

In addition to performances and speakers, the event will highlight a curated marketplace of community vendors and organizations, including:

Richard Omordia Cosmetics
PALS, Inc. – Behavior Management Day Program
Darryl Crutchfield, Founder of Saving All Kids
Siriya Malkia – Skincare and beauty products
Joely Simpson – Avon Independent Sales
Dr. Moses McCutcheon – School to Success Youth Initiative

Founded in 1992, Yaba TV Los Angeles has become a multicultural platform celebrating Black excellence, heritage, and unity through powerful storytelling. With millions of global viewers, the show continues to serve as a bridge for dialogue, education, and empowerment across generations and continents. Yaba TV Los Angeles is broadcasted on KCAL-9 Los Angeles every Sunday at 4 p.m. and is accessible through cable and satellite services. For more information, go to https://yabatvlosangeles.com/.

For media inquiries and VIP reservations, contact Sarah Downs at 562-833-8294 or visit https://yabatvlosangeles.com.

Dr. Marie Y. Lemelle, MBA, PhD
Platinum Star Public Relations, Inc.
+1 213-276-7827
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