Foot Soldiers Park & Education Center took Father’s Day to give a friendly competition that required participants to have knowledge of Juneteenth, express cultural awareness and present skills in a way that was relevant to the theme, “Still We Rise.”
It was a showcase of talent, poise and history lessons on Sunday for the inaugural Mr. & Miss Juneteenth Showcase.
FSP Programs Coordinator Kennedy Smitherman said she is pleased with the participation and the audience turnout. She conducted an all-call, several rehearsals and a final run-of-show. “This process was a pleasant one,” she said. “All of the participants were easy to work with and there were no backstage conflicts like you see on televised competitions. I’m very pleased.”
Smitherman invited everyone to the third annual “Still We Rise” Juneteenth Celebration on Wednesday hosted by Foot Soldiers Park to be held at its future home on 1705 Selma Avenue next to George Washington Carver Homes.
The event included a door prize for answering a question looking for a foot soldier in the audience. Febie Motley of Selma won by answering “Ms. Joanne Bland,” who is the founder of Foot Soldiers Park & Education Center.
The evening concluded with a reception.
The judges for the evening included 2019 Miss Black Alabama USA and Miss Black Alabama Pageant State Director Demanda Smith, Miss Black Alabama USA 2023 LaNia Cole Jackson and Miss Selma University 1994-1995 Jasmine Pritchett.
The following are the talent and cultural attire winners and 2024 Mr. & Miss Juneteenth and their court: Talent Winner is Jamaria Benjamin, 10, of Montgomery. She attends McMillan International Academy and sang “Better Place” by NSYNC from the movie, “Trolls.”
Cultural Attire winner was Camron Benjamin, a rising junior at Selma High School and a member of its football team. He wore an authentic djellaba imported from the continent of Africa.
2024 Second Runner-Up was Tresher Rivers, a rising college freshman and recent graduate of Selma High School. First Runner-Up Mr. Juneteenth was Camron Benjamin while First Runner-Up Miss Juneteenth was Camron’s twin Carmen Benjamin.
2024 Mr. Juneteenth is Micah Thomas Jr., a rising college freshman who recently graduated from Southside High School. Miss Juneteenth is Adrionna Powell, a rising junior at Troy University and a graduate of Selma High School. 2024 Second Runner-Up is Jamarion Rush, a rising senior at Selma High School and a member of its football team.
Honorable Mention is Heavenly SkiiRose Wheeler, a 4-year-old at Eastern Seals Headstart Program.
Juneteenth was recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. Juneteenth became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was adopted in 1983.
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