Juneteenth
The MTA held its first Juneteenth celebration in 2022. Hosted by the Ethnically Marginalized Affairs Committee, MTA members and their families gathered to mark the holiday and reflect on the historical meaning of the event. The federal holiday marks the day when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865 — two months after the surrender of Confederate forces in the Civil War — and told Black people who had been enslaved that they were free.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 21
WHERE: Fuller Middle School, Framingham
WHAT: Enjoy breakfast, special guests, family activities, a book swap and more.
Registration opens May 5.
Featured Edutainers
Len Cabral is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning storyteller and author who has been engaging and entertaining audiences with his storytelling performances for more than four decades. He is the recipient of the National Storytelling Network 2001 Circle of Excellence Oracle Award, honored by Johnson & Wales University as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in 2000 and the recipient of the 2016 Pell Award, and most recently recipient of the 2023 NABS Brother Blue Circle of Elders Award. This award, named in honor of Dr. Hugh “Brother Blue” Morgan, is given to NABS members as a recognition of their contributions to Black storytelling.
Len is a popular storyteller at theaters, schools and festivals throughout the United States and has performed at festivals in Ireland, Belgium, England, Wales and Austria, as well as Amsterdam, Bali and Singapore.
Sidy Maïga began drumming with master djembefolas as a teen in his native Mali, refining his voice in this ancestral cultural tradition. Sidy made for a quick study, and began touring professionally with well-known national acts such as Troupe Artistique de Bamako and the Fakoli Percussion Troupe.
Since moving to Rhode Island in 2006, Sidy has become a regular on the music scene. Beloved in the community not only for his traditional Malian music, but for his seamless blending into Latin, blues, and Brazilian drumming traditions – even accompanying house music DJs! His talent and passion bring him throughout New England and the world.
Since 2009, Sidy has celebrated African music’s roots by producing the West African Dance and Drum Festival: Afrika Nyaga. A premiere festival in Providence, this annual event brings together both local and international musicians and dancers.
In January 2011, Sidy recorded and released his first album, Malidén, and was awarded the prestigious MacColl-Johnson Fellowship in 2012. He also has received numerous grants and fellowships from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts.
In 2014, he recorded and released his second album, Africa United which includes musicians from across the world, including Grammy Award winner Oumou Sangaré. In this album, Sidy approaches traditional African styles from a position of global celebration.
In addition to performing, Sidy teaches djembe and dundun drumming to students at schools and universities throughout the country. Teaching at institutions such as Bradley Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital also has demonstrated the therapeutic effects of his practice.
DJ Lady Ly has always been very passionate about music and dance. Growing up in a multicultural environment in Belgium, DJ Lady Ly was introduced to various genres of music at an early age. In her 20s, she became intrigued with the concept of spinning records and making crowds of people dance. She began to experiment with turntables and taught herself how to blend and mix tracks. She began DJing at house parties and quickly earned a reputation for keeping the crowd dancing. DJ Lady Ly aims to please by feeding off the vibes, no matter the crowd or genre. Drawing from her multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural family, DJ Lady Ly naturally embraces numerous genres of music including R&B/soul, hip-hop, funk, dancehall, reggae, Soca, Afrobeats, house, drum and bass and Zouk. She has a soft spot for 90s R&B and hip-hop. DJ Lady Ly has continued to expand her professional experience by working in other areas of the entertainment industry. She really enjoys working as a stagehand at musical concert venues. She has been responsible for lights and sound, spot follow, truss spotting, driving a forklift, and building stages. These experiences afforded her the opportunity to meet some of the world’s best artists.
DJ Lady Ly lives in Boston, where she was the lead DJ on "Whatz Up Boston" on WRBB 104.9 FM. She is an active member of her local community. Though she loves playing in concerts, festivals, nightclubs, corporate and special social events, DJ Lady Ly’s love for music goes beyond the spectrum of mixing tunes. She supports many local organizations and events. In 2023, DJ Lady Ly joined the Spark FM Online radio station team.
Celebrating Juneteenth
Juneteenth marks the date in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to ensure that all enslaved people were freed. That act, two-and-a-half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, effectively marked the end of slavery in the U.S.