Joy & Pain: Juneteenth (BOS) - November Project

Today was the third Wednesday back in the stadium after the pandemic-long hiatus of 15ish months. It was a long time to be away–a long time to wait for something that means so much to so many people. And for the many previous November Project members who took part before the pandemic, as well as for the many new faces who have shown up in the last three weeks for the first time in person, at the stadium, with NP, there is both joy and pain in this experience.

There’s the somewhat expected physical joy of returning, reuniting, reconnecting, and connecting anew with other human beings, in movement, outdoors. And the obvious physical pain of attempting a beast like the stadium for all of us like it’s the first time–and remembering or realizing the muscles used for climbing those stairs just don’t seem to get exercised doing anything else. You’ll be sore, you’ll feeeeeel it, and it might day several days for that kind of stadium-pain to ease.

There’s also the more emotional and existential experiences of joy and pain felt with the same experience of going to the stadium together. Pain for all that has been lost, the grief of separation, the hurt of so many things shouldered alone and without the kind of support that community can offer. And joy for the relief of restrictions and lessening of fear, joy for togetherness and feeling part of something bigger than yourself, even joy for unexpected gifts of this unprecedented time.

Joy and pain don’t often happen–and are not experienced as fully–each without the other.

And so it is with true that the day recognized as Juneteenth also reverberates with joy and pain. As the history goes, even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth,” by the newly freed people in Texas. –National Museum of African American History & Culture

There is tremendous joy felt in celebrating the freedom–the actual freedom finally decreed with all enslaved Black people. But also such deep pain felt in imagining the years of continued enslavement of so many human beings beyond the 1863 abolition of slavery…and the ongoing pain of the continued systems of oppression, racism, and inequality that continue to be felt. And while this week (and our workout today) focuses on celebrating the joy of America and Americans all being free, we cannot do so without also honoring the pain of freedom not truly existing on July 4, 1776…and then again not truly existing on January 1, 1863.

It’s so valuable to recognize and appreciate both of these experiences–the joy and the pain–in order to really value the change and growth that has come before us, as well as the change and growth that is still needed and yet to come. We get to be a part of that change if we want to.

We Invite You…

November Project Boston is celebrating and honoring Juneteenth both through our workouts today (both the Zoom and in-person workouts were designed using June 19th as the focus) and through other events happening on Saturday, which is Juneteenth.

You can participate virtually: the Great Day Squad is hosting a virtual 5k for Juneteenth, which you can register for right HERE. The live event is happening in Philly, PA at 10am on Saturday, but you can run your 5k anytime between when you register and the end of 6/19. The global NP community is being invited to participate in this, so if you sign up, know that you’re connecting with the much larger NP community as you run, walk, or move in the way you choose for your 5k.

You can participate locally: our friends at Unnamed (UNMD) Run Crew are hosting two events on Saturday 6/19 that we’d love for all of November Project to be a part of.

1. You can volunteer at the Juneteenth Youth Run (a collaboration between UNMD and Sole Train Boston and hosted by the MFA) which will be Saturday morning. Volunteers are needed from 9am – 11:30am on Saturday. Volunteer sign up is HERE.

To participate in the event (kids who run?!) REGISTER HERE or on-site registration: 9:30am; Warm-Up: 10am; Fun Run Relay Event: 10:15am. Meet on the lawn of the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) at the corner of Fenway and Forsyth Ave for registration. The first seventy-five registrants under age 18 will be able to participate. Parent/guardian waivers will be emailed out beforehand and available on site.

2. You can race at the UNMD Run Crew Unsanctioned Race: 4:00pm Registration at the lawn of the MFA (corner of Fenway and Forsyth Ave), 5:00pm Race Start (different location than registration, so be there to move with the group!) You can also REGISTER HERE ahead of time. This is a bracket-based, head-to-head style race. After registration at the MFA, everyone will head to the Emerald Necklace to get to racing. Post-race refreshments from Athletic Brewing on-site.

Thank you for the ways that you are able to engage and participate in celebrating and honoring Juneteenth. Feel free to learn more about Juneteenth with these resources:

The National Museum of African American History & Culture

Juneteenth.com