Jomo Akono, board member for Buffalo Juneteenth, joins In Focus this week to discuss why people should continue to celebrate Juneteenth year-round.

"Juneteenth is very important as we look at the history of America, the different phases what has happened, what has brought us to where we are," Akono said. "Juneteenth speaks of more social justice, of more recognition and it ties in a lot of different aspects of life. First of all, Juneteenth is the recognition of when those who are enslaved in Texas received news that they were really emancipated about two and a half years after the fact, but many people had not received the rights that were guaranteed. So general Granger and company were set out to reinforce those laws. There would not have been a Juneteenth if Africans are stolen, kidnapped, and forced to work. That is how many of our ancestors were brought here. So being able to have that cultural connectivity as well as, you know, understanding what roles we play in the history of the nation."

"We're always happy to talk about how important Buffalo is in America being one of the largest unities and we're going to be we're going to be in our 49th consecutive next year and we're marching towards 50. But that has taken place because our entire community participates not only in the weekend events at our Martin Luther King Jr. Park, but we also have many events that deal with education, and correct historical and even positioning in our community.  We do a lot with other organizations from labor, education, employment health. We really try to help liberate people even in the 21st century, with impediments that may continue. So it's all about having a reparative mindset in order to make the nation better. Every individual person and group of people should play their best part in our best part is to be prepared and prepared."

"And the recognition of African culture and African tradition is really year-round. Music and art from ancient traditions up until now have always been the keeper of our stories and our records in the African tradition. I work at WUFO, Western New York's Black-owned, women-owned oldest on station, who and it's very important because the music, the history and the culture is that is a direct download of what was happening, what was feeling and it also gives us a marker a true marker of what we have been through. Without the music without the cultural history without keeping that alive. We could lose track of our direction and of our path or are we still on the right path? So being involved with music being involved with culture all year it also ties us into the multifaceted dimensions of our culture."

You can hear the full conversation between Jomo Akono and JoDee Kenney via the video player above. And be sure to tune in for a look inside the biggest issues impacting Upstate New York, on In Focus with JoDee Kenney — every Sunday on Spectrum News 1.