VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Turning celebration into civic action: How Syracuse’s Juneteenth celebration became a launchpad for change
Vinaya Johnson: With Election Day on Tuesday, grassroots organizations across Syracuse used this year’s Juneteenth Festival to not only celebrate, but organize. One group, Citizens in Action, is spotlighting issues affecting the black community and how leadership from Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens could bring lasting change.
Johnson: At the heart of the Juneteenth celebration, there’s also a mission. Citizens in action is using this event to engage the community on issues like education, housing and youth opportunity, all while urging residents to make their voices heard.
Yvonne Griffin: We focus on housing, justice reform, climate control, an education and child care, medical on every patient.
Johnson: The group set up shop at the festival with a simple task to take a stand for your neighborhood, starting with your vote. It’s a message echoed in their support for leaders like Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens, someone they believe has long stood with Syracuse’s Black community.
Joseph Godley: Why not have a lady that’s mayor?
Roy Neal: Her giveaways is with bags and all this all the other things that she offers to the community.
Johnson: From mentorships to mental health support, citizens and action says it’s about more than one day or one election. It’s about building a future for the next generation. A day to reflect, to celebrate, and to mobilize for a community that’s always pushing forward. On a day rooted in freedom and reflection, citizens in action is reminding the community that real progress starts with participation, whether it’s at the ballot box or right on your block. They’re urging everyone to get involved and help shape what’s next. That’s all from here. Thomas, back to you.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – As music, food, and dancing filled Syracuse’s Juneteenth festival, something deeper was taking root amid the celebration, which is an urgent call to action.
This year’s festival, a commemoration of Black liberation, wasn’t just about reflection or joy. For grassroots groups like Citizens in Action, it was an opportunity to activate the community ahead of this year’s elections, turning cultural pride into political power.
“This is about organizing and celebrating,” said Yvonne Griffin, a member of Citizens in Action. “We’re out here because we believe that communities like ours deserve better, better housing, better education, and better leadership that reflects who we are.”
The group’s table, tucked between other local organizations and vendors, displayed flyers on youth programs, early childhood education, and criminal justice reform. But most importantly, it offered petitions and voter registration forms, tools to help everyday people in the local community make informed decisions about their next mayoral candidate.
“We deal with housing, justice reform, climate control, education, child care, medical, basically everything,” Griffin said.
Founded on the principles of social, racial, economic, and environmental justice, Citizens Action of New York, the umbrella organization supporting this local chapter, focuses on systemic reforms. Their work spans a wide spectrum, from dismantling mass incarceration and fighting for housing justice to pushing for equitable taxation and eliminating big money in politics.
Their support of Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens to be the next mayor of Syracuse was especially visible at the festival. Flyers lined the table, circulating messages promoting her longstanding advocacy for Syracuse’s Black community.
“She’s given out bags, homes, and hope,” said Roy Neal, president of Cuse Connection, a local outreach organization. “What she represents is the kind of leadership we need right now.”
Veteran Joseph Godley echoed the sentiment. “Why not have a woman as mayor?” he asked. “Someone who’s been in these communities and actually listens.”
For Citizens in Action, this work isn’t just about one campaign or one candidate. It’s about building a future where equity isn’t just an ideal, it’s a lived reality.
From educational equity to healthcare access and environmental protections, the group believes the road to justice begins with grassroots power and the ballot box.
As Juneteenth came to a close with music and community joy, the message lingered: freedom is a journey, not a destination. And in Syracuse, that journey continues, one conversation, one policy, and one vote at a time.