During the weekend of June 18 to 20, thanks to the Black and Brown Equity Coalition (BaBEC), Fire Island celebrated Juneteenth for the first time, marking the date, June 19, 1865, that word finally reached the last remaining enslaved people in the United States, that President Abraham Lincoln emancipated them two-and-a-half years earlier. Two days before June 19, 2021, Juneteenth had been declared the newest national holiday
Following simultaneous tea dances at the Ice Palace, in Cherry Grove, and the Blue Whale, in Fire Island Pines, BaBEC held “Fund Black Trans Joy,” a fundraiser for the Sylvia Rivera Law Project. Announced headliners for the show were reigning Miss Fire Island Zola Powell, Ceyenne Doroshow, and Angelica Torres Xtravaganza, and Frankie Paradise and She’Knead Thisgig were in the DJ booth.

photo captions & credit:
1.Miss Fire Island Zola Powell
2.diva
3.Homecoming Queen Davida
4.trio
5.at the DJ booth
6.posing with Juneteenth sign
7.strike a pose
8.CGFD's Kay Davis
9.CGCAI President Diane Romano (center) & company
10.portrait of Marsha P. Johnson
11.& 13.0656 dance floor
12.Parker & Andi
14.Clara & Lee
15.trio
16.Sylvia Rivera, Queen Alison & Clover Honey, Brooklyn Pride 6-14-97

photos by Bruce-Michael Gelbert