FORT WORTH, Texas — Long before her standing ovation at the White House last year, Opal Lee had already been dubbed the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” for her activism to make Juneteenth a national holiday.
Now, a year after seeing her dream come true, she’s become a household name. Juneteenth and Opal Lee will forever be linked.
Often when people have a fast track to fame, who they are as individuals is often overlooked while their accomplishments are magnified.
I’d like to share a story to give an idea of who Opal Lee really is.
When I first met Ms. Lee in November of 2020, she had just posted a video on Facebook urging her fellow senior citizens, especially those of color, to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously by skipping family holiday gatherings that year.
I asked her if she would be willing to sit down and speak with me about why she was so passionate about social distancing. She agreed and invited me to meet with her that same day at her home in Fort Worth.
We spent a couple of hours getting to know one another, and she gave me a tour of her home and the five-acre urban farm along the Trinity River named in her honor.
After filming my story, Lee and I listened to music together in my car, and shared some stories of her past romances. I was smitten by her boisterous personality and really enjoyed our time together.
Before we parted, she asked if I was married. When I told her I was single, she seemed perplexed and asked why I hadn’t found a “beautiful young lady with a personality as good as mine.” (Her words, not mine.)
I found myself in an awkward situation; this is a question I get asked often as an openly, proud gay man. While I’m meeting with the people whose stories I share, I usually spend about two hours filming and getting to know them. I’m often trying my best to make someone who may not be used to speaking in front of a camera feel comfortable and candid.
This kind of interaction usually leads to casual conversation. The usual questions include: “Where are you originally from?” “Do you get nervous on camera?” and “Are you married?”
The level of comfort I feel with the person decides how candid I am.
Lee had already made me feel very warm in her presence, but I knew like me, she shares a Christian faith. That, along with her age, meant I wasn’t sure how conservative or comfortable she’d be about my truth.
I remembered times when being candid had backfired on me but ultimately thought, “What do I have to lose?” Our time together was ending anyway, and I pride myself on being honest.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and answered the question by telling her I’m gay and still looking for a partner.
Lee was quiet for what seemed like forever and I got nervous that I’d just made us both feel uncomfortable.
After the uncomfortably long silence Lee told me she, “Loves the gays,” that she’d pray I find the perfect man, and she’d be, “On the lookout,” to find me a good mate.
As I let out a sigh of relief, I felt so loved by this woman I’d just met hours prior.
She knew I lived in Dallas and made me promise the next time I visited Fort Worth, I’d take her to lunch.
Months later we enjoyed lunch together, and I’ve stayed in contact with her since.
I had the honor of being with her when she got the call from Sen. Tina Smith and learned the U.S. senate passed the Juneteenth legislation to make June 19 a national holiday.
Later that same week, President Biden would invite her to the White House to witness Juneteenth finally becoming a federal holiday.
Flash-forward almost two years, I’m sitting on the basketball court of the Dallas Wings in Arlington, Texas as WMBA player Isabelle Harrison explains how inspired she feels after meeting, “The Opal Lee,” said Harrison “She just has a way of making you feel loved, you know what I mean, Lupe?”
I answered with a smile, “I know what you mean.”
I interviewed Harrison after Lee met with Dallas Wings players to give an inspirational talk about her journey to seeing Juneteenth become a national holiday.
“You know people who aren’t on the same page you are on,” said Lee as she addressed the players. “So, change their minds. If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love. But we need to know, you can’t erase history. So, let’s learn from it and be damned sure it doesn’t happen again.”
It’s a message Lee has shared for most of her life.
“Being able to see her walk in today, it was like your own personal grandma,” said Harrison. “Her energy just feels so inviting, and she knows how to make you feel loved and cared for. I couldn’t look away. She just had my attention the whole time and is just so loving.”
Jefferson said it was refreshing to know Lee hadn’t lost her personable spirit now that she has a newfound “celebrity status.”
Making people feel loved is a super power Lee has. Just ask President Biden.
When Biden invited Lee to the White House on June 17, 2021 to witness Juneteenth become a federal holiday, she received high praise from him and Vice President Harris.
“I had the honor of meeting her in Nevada more than a year ago,” said Biden at the bill signing. “She told me she loved me, and I believe it, I wanted to believe it... Miss Opal, you’re incredible!”
Since Biden’s praise on national television, the name Opal Lee has become synonymous with Juneteenth, making Lee a very busy woman.
Lee said this past year has been a whirlwind. When she’s not trying to inspire WMBA players on the court, she’s chatting with journalists eager to share her message of hope.
“I tell you, I don’t know if I want to embrace the celebrity status,” said Lee. “I still want to be known as the little old lady in tennis shoes, getting in everybody else’s business, and having a damn good time doing it.”
Lee’s granddaughter Dione Sims doubles as her manager and schedules the many interviews she gives from her home studio.
“Tomorrow will be a busy day,” said Sims. “She’s got interviews with Advance Auto Parts, Walgreens and Houston NPR. In June leading up to Juneteenth, this is how it goes.”
Sims is the founder and president of Unity Unlimited, Inc. the nonprofit organization that powered the movement led by Lee to make Juneteenth a national holiday.
This year, while Lee leads her annual “Opal’s Walk for Freedom” in Fort Worth, Sims has helped organize events in cities across the county hosting first-time events to celebrate our newest federal holiday.
“We’re actually standing up eight host cities across the county,” said Sims. “They may not have as many as we do here, but we hope that grows as this becomes an annual event to celebrate freedom.”
Lee says she feels honored to be associated with Black American heroes like Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King.
“I’ll take whatever comes,” said Lee with a big smile on her face “I just want people to understand that we are one people, it’s our freedom, it belongs to all of us and we need to guard it with our lives.”
Opal’s Walk for Freedom is happening Saturday, June 18, starting at Evans Avenue Plaza and ends at the new Fort Worth City Hall building.
“You can also join in to walk in person, virtually, or to drive,” said Sims.
Immediately following the walk, the celebration continues at the “I Am Juneteenth Festival” at Fort Worth’s Panther Island Pavilion.
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Share your ideas with DFW Human-Interest Reporter Lupe Zapata by e-mailing him at Lupe.Zapata@Charter.com