Juneteenth

The Juneteenth Juke Jam will kick off with an hourlong panel discussion on what modern-day reconstruction for the Black community looks like and what WPP agencies are doing to ensure their commitment to change and increasing diversity within their organization and clients, and for the industry. 

This panel event will be live on this website from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. EDT on June 17 and recorded for future viewing and promotion across the WPP networks. 

The panel will be followed by the Juke Jam celebration in honor of Juneteenth. Last year, VMLY&R and many other organizations around the world used Juneteenth to reflect in solidarity and contemplation of the more than 400 years of oppression, racism, injustice, and hatred that is threaded throughout American history. 

However, the Black experience is not only of our collective pain — it is a celebration of perseverance, creativity and our enduring spirit. We aim to refocus the public perception of Juneteenth back to the hope, jubilation and love of our culture.

In partnership with BMG, we are featuring special performances by Valerie June, Joshua Henry, and KAMAUU for our Juneteenth Juke Jam. As an extra special bonus, we’ll also feature a discussion moderated by Jewel Mensah, associate connections director at VMLY&R, with the great Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Black Music Month. We'll additionally showcase talent from within VMLY&R, including Cleveland Thrasher, Shaun Campbell, and Sherman Winfield.

Fluorescent Social Media Takeover

Join us on our @VMLYR on Twitter and Instagram as members of Fluorescent (Julian McGhee and Ebonee Gilliard) take over during the Juneteenth Juke Jam!

FULL AGENDA

All times in EST

• 12:00 PM - 12:05 PM: Juneteenth: A Historical Accounting Featuring Ericka Hatfield from VMLY&R Dallas office and Jewel Mensah from VMLY&R West Office
• 12:05 PM - 12:55 PM: Reconstruction 2.0 Live Panel
• 12:55 PM - 1:00 PM: Juneteenth Message from Global CEO of VMLY&R, Jon Cook
• 1:00 PM - 1:05 PM: Juneteenth: A Jubilation of Music and Dance Featuring Kelli Anderson of VMLY&R Atlanta Office and Shanice Gipson of VMLY&R Kansas City Office
• 1:05 PM - 1:21 PM: BMG Musical Performance: Valerie June
• 1:21 PM - 1:25 PM: Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA) Feature
• 1:26 PM - 1:29 PM: Juneteenth Juke Jame presents: Cleveland Thrasher from VMLY&R Detroit Office
• 1:30 PM - 1:45 PM: BMG Musical Performance: KAMAUU
• 1:45 PM - 1:47 PM: Juneteenth Call-to-action: — Give Black KC
• 1:47 PM - 2:00 PM: BMG Musical Performance: Joshua Henry
• 2:00 PM - 2:20 PM: BMG Black Music Month Fireside Chat Featuring Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Moderated by Jewel Mensah from VMLY&R West Office
• 2:20 PM - 2:27 PM: Stephanie Small of TAXI, Creative Operations Manager, Founder & Program Lead of Black TAXI presents Juneteenth: Intersectionality of Activism Highlighting Marsha P. Johnson
• 2:27 PM - 2:30 PM: Closing Remarks: Ericka Hatfield of VMLY&R Dallas Office Featuring Music by Wesley King
• Immediately following event: After Party — Tale of Two Cities DJ Battle: Featuring Shaun Campbell and Sherman Winfield from VMLY&R Atlanta Office

Juneteenth — A Day of Celebration with a Purpose:

VMLY&R will once again commemorate Juneteenth — observed this year on Friday, June 18 — with VMLY&R Blackout — A Day of Celebration with a Purpose. We encourage you to use this day to support local Black-owned businesses, visit African American historical sites or museums, spend the day in volunteer service, support a Black-led charity of choice, or explore your city’s local Black culture. 

Additionally, Fluorescent is highlighting two organizations that we encourage everyone to learn more about and support. Many Black-led organizations do not get the funding they need for their foundations to grow, even though they are often the closest to the work and in the best position to have the greatest impact.

Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA): To provide an intimate, trusted, safe space for Black marketing C-suite executives to share, learn, elevate, and pay it forward to create opportunity, access, and equality for the current and next generation of Black marketing leaders. BECA is currently looking for corporate engagement and partnerships. 

Earlier this year, VMLY&R was thrilled to support BECA by creating and launching their new sizzle video, which you can now watch online here.

Kansas City GIFT: Generating Income For Tomorrow (G.I.F.T.) KC is taking a community funded approach to investment. This year, the Give Black Week 2021 campaign will coincide with the week of Juneteenth. KC GIFT has a goal to raise $80,000, which will benefit eight Black-led companies and organizations that directly serve the Black communities in the areas of income, employment, housing, food access, mental health, and digital connectivity -- serving Kansas City and other cities nationally. 

The organizations are:

• GIFT: Supporting growth and job creation for Black-owned businesses
• The Nia Project: Improving opportunity for Black girls and women
• Soulcentricitea: Tea shop and community organizing space
• WeCodeKC: Youth education and access to computer science skills
• Life's Work C&C: Culturally competent mental health services
• Raytown REAP: Food pantry and utility assistance support
• UrbnHub KC: Online low- to no-cost resource directory
• The Greenline Initiative: Improving equitable access to home ownership

The VMLY&R Foundation has made a $1,000 donation to the Give Black Week fundraiser in partnership with Fluorescent.

This week, please consider making a donation to an organization of your choice. VMLY&R Foundation members, don’t forget to triple your impact with the Matching Gift program.

GRATITUDE & APPRECIATION

Thank you to the Fluorescent Juneteenth Committee for your countless volunteer hours to help execute the Juneteenth programming. Fluorescent would like to additionally thank VMLY&R Executive leadership Jon Cook, Tasha Gilroy, Myron King, Subashini Nadarajah, and Beth Wade as well as WPP, VMLY&R Commerce, BCW, and GroupM for their support of Juneteenth and the Juneteenth programming.

Special thanks to BMG and Theresa Notartomaso, executive music producer at VMLY&R, and the NYC team for their continued support of Fluorescent and our programming.