As the opening ceremony of the Harriet Tubman bicentennial celebration kicks off, the celebration marked the first time Rochester has showcased a statue of an African American figure with international recognition.

"We need to get back to looking at our history, the past the present and the future from a collaborative way so we can heal the racial wounds that are here in our community,” said project director Jacqueline Sprague. “So it’s time and this is like a kick off to regenerate that.”

In participation of the celebration, the ceremony featured remarks from community members involved in the event and youth speakers from Mount Olivet Baptist Church, who remembered Tubman’s impact on their community.

“I think the significance of today’s celebration is just showing the Black community that we’re here and that our history is rich in Rochester,” said Mckenzie Carlos, one of the speakers on behalf of Mount Olivet Baptist Church.

The celebration allowed youth to show their respect for Tubman and to remember the role she played in the history of the community.

“I think it’s good to celebrate her,” said Tristyn N’guessamble, who also spoke on behalf of Mount Olivet. “She did so much for us and to give her this small thanks is the least we can do.”

The celebration is hoped to remind the community of the importance in honoring history and to give youth the opportunity to become more involved in it.

“It sends the message to the community to reinvest in our history to understand the diverse contributions that have built this community,” Sprauge said. “That if we build upon those strengths again we can be a prosperous city again. So the statue is inspiring basically saying it’s time to invest in our youth as the change agents of our future.”

And young community members seem to be ready for the change and are excited to honor Tubman’s memory and show their gratitude for her accomplishments.

“You know everybody knows Harriet Tubman and that is something that I love to hear as a Black citizen,” Carlos said.