For okay good afternoon everyone thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to join us for this close out to Black History Month a conversation in pursuit of social justice with our dear Sor the grandmother of juneth Sora opal Lee my name is Dr Stacy NC Grant and I
Have the privilege and the pleasure of being the international president and CEO of Zeta FIB sority Incorporated we know that every day is a day to highlight and talk about the contribution of Africans throughout the diaspora but we know that February is set aside as an opportunity for us to
Highlight the achievements of many members of our community so today we are proud that we get to celebrate embrace embracing the extraordinary power of shei through social justice Health Justice and economic Justice worldwide as we do our advocacy as members of Zeta F Beta sorority Incorporated our Focus today in
Pursuit of the social justice peace is an opportunity for us to share with the world someone that many of you have seen and heard our national treasure Sora opal who is a member of our organization and over 90 plus years old I I you know she gets younger and younger every time
I see her I don’t know what she’s doing to reverse she’s our own female version of Benjamin buttons but she has stood the test of time and she was determined to make juneth a national holiday and bring awareness not only to the Congress and the administration but to the world
About what celebrating the abolition of slavery can bring influence uenced by the information that was left out of many of our history books and we are grateful for her example of resilience for her to stand and speak up for those voices that were not heard were not recognized and were not taught so
Today’s conversation and pursuit of social justice gives us an opportunity to just glean a little bit of insight from our beloved and beautiful Sor about her journey to now and then we’re going to share some exciting information about the juneth museum that she is the inspiration for and members of the board
Will share some of the exciting opportunities that are ahead of us as Zeta fasor Incorporated is the first in our family of D9 organizations to commit and pledge our support we know everybody else will be coming on in but it is fitting that we celebrate our own so
Sora op Le good afternoon to you good afternoon to you my Sor to hear from you young people well well we’re learning from you and we thank you for your example we thank you for your dedication to the cause and many know about how you set a campaign
Forward to raise awareness but Sly what the things that I would like you to share what has kept you inspired for all these years committed to the education around Jun well you know you have things that you absolutely have to do and it takes up a mighty lot
Of your time here I had raised four children I’d gone to colleges and universities I taught school in fact I taught third grade eighty old so long I was beginning to act like them so they gave me another position um I had helped with starting a
Food bank and a farm they call it opal’s Farm but I kept having this with juneth since I was knee high to adop in Marshall Texas we went to the fairgrounds for juneth and they had food and music and food and speeches food and food and food when I
Came to Fort Worth not so much people sort of celebrated it together except I met Lenora rala tall Street didn’t wear glasses in her 90s and she started the tan County black historical and geneological society and one of its programs was juneth I was one of its members and I
Remember juneth in tiny little Sycamore park there were 30,000 people in a three-day period 10 when they pull the plug this time I got on a flatbed truck and put the plug back has always meant been special for me and so I decided that if a little old lady in tennis
Shoes walk from Fork Worth to Washington DC 14400 miles somebody would take notice now I didn’t actually do 1,400 BS but I did several hundred and I walked from fol Worth to Arlington to Grand Prairie to Dallas box springs japper but you see somebody had promised that we could have an
R and they kept their old RV but I never missed a be somebody took me from Fort Worth to Marshall somebody took me from Marshall to sort and sort I went to Little Rock I went to St Louis half miles in the afternoon and do you know
And we were prepared to take that many more when we had the call to go to the White House that the President Biden was signing the juneth bill into law oh if I tell you I was a happy camper I could have done a holy dance you’re
Gonna I know you could have and we were dancing with you and excited about what you accomplished when you talk about the pursuit of of social justice really understanding that you made a decision sorely you made a decision not to ignore an opportunity to educate to increase awareness about our experience in this
Country you made a decision to stay the course and and walk the miles that you did because you saw someone else who had given those opportunities to the community that you were in and you were wondering well why doesn’t the world know how come this is not taught why
Have not the opportunities to educate our community been truly realized and because you were able to stay the course you made it to the White House and you were able to sit there and see President Biden sign juneth into to a national holiday and when you started talking about the experiences and the
Celebrations some people didn’t understand well what’s so important about juneth why should everyone know why should it become a national holiday what would you say to them Sor Le oh I’d have to tell them about how a general Garden Granger with several thousand colored Troops made its way to
Galston and begin to spread the word that the enslaved were free you see President Abraham Lincoln had signed the filtered down to Texas you know Texas so big and so when the general made his way to galston he nailed what was called general order number three to
To the door of REI Chapel African Methodist Episcopal church and that notice said all slaves we started celebrating and we and we know that that was an exciting opportunity when that message came back and uh while you were talking there was a slight pause uh with the connectivity
So s Le do you want to just repeat that one line I just want to make sure everyone heard it because you know technology is wonderful Sor Le but then sometimes it pauses on us the unmitigated goal to interrupt the grandmother of jun but if you could
Share just that excitement one more time with what happened when the news came down to galston well you needed to know Jersey and they were in galston general Granger nailed what he call general order number three to the door of Rey Chapel African Methodist Episcopal church and that
Order said all slaves are free when the ins slaved came in from the jobs and the work they had and somebody read that to them we started celebrating and we’ve been celebrating ever since absolutely and I think it’s important in this moment when we talk about the pursuit of social justice it’s
The opportunity to educate to give information and information was kept from an entire portion of our country about their freedom the opportunity for them to no longer be enslaved people and it was sad that it took so long for them to see that information and intentionally we would smise around
Giving that level of information to the masses and that’s why it’s important for us to be at the Forefront of being The Trusted Messengers that take the information that can help our communities move forward in a significant way and be bold about doing it like you have and you didn’t stop you
Could have given it up S Le for years you’ve been advocating and talking but you kept going and at how how young are you now is it 94 or is it 93 it’s 97 I know I just wanted everyone to hear at 97 years old you have more
Energy than me you almost outwalk me last year at the juneth the little old lady kind of practice you see at home I walk around the house and out not so much well at 97 the fact that you are practicing and examp be really an example for our Sisterhood you know as
You keep your mind active you’ve kept your body active you kept your social activism going it is an inspiration for our Sisterhood and we are so proud that we get to celebrate you and to share with the world what your story means to those who are pursuing social justice
Like your beloved organization of Zeta FAS sori Incorporated we have so much that’s happening even today hearing about what the Supreme Court is deciding on looking at what’s happening in the state of Texas when it comes to how we learn about our history how we share uh
The ways in which many people are trying to disenfranchise our total existence in this country and what we did to build America so I want to bring into the conversation our members of the national juneth museum who are here with us the the chairs of the board who are
Partnering to tell this story in an amazing opportunity for a museum that Chronicles your journey s op how exciting is that to be a part of this Museum project well as the young people would say it’s off the a Chain absolutely for you to live at 97 years young and to see that the work that you have done is not in vain that the entire world has taken notice of what we have accomplished here in the United States with the signing of juneth as a national holiday but then the
Education that comes as a result of this museum being being built so I want to pause and welcome uh Mr Jared Howard who is the current chair of the national juneth museum board and the immediate past chair Dr karice No No Glend Robinson thank you so much for joining
Us today for this conversation as we celebrate our grandmother of jun and the journey to now and we’re also joined by Dr Tammy Smithers who is working as a consultant and I believe this is one of our very own members if I’m not mistaken who is joining us as well a new member
To the board and just excited about the fact that as an organization of first a Sor Cina Zeta already Incorporated has signed on to publicly and financially give our support to the founding of the national juneth museum welcome everyone thank you absolutely so we’ll start with
Jared Jared what would you like to say now we have our grandmother of juneth here she absolutely lit up like a light bulb when she saw you on the street Dr Dr Grant first let me say thank you into the Z5 beta sority for having us but the reason that Miss opal
Lights up when she sees me is because don’t tell anybody but I’m her boyfriend now just a few 2 thousand people know that jar and I have been working in lockstep for a number of years and uh she is the brain and the heart I’m just the wheels
Right and so I help her I want to help her manifest her vision and and celebrate the work that she’s done so that’s my role with the national un te Museum absolutely and we thank you for for this work and let’s just talk about how this started how did the conversation around
Building this Museum around Jun where was that seed planted and how did it grow yep so I’ll tell you go ahead Miss op oh gee I have to tell you I had been downtown I had asked for money jar to kind of you know tell me
That maybe next time they would have it and Jared began to tell me about the many things that he planned to do like a museum he was going to have a black box he was GNA have food Hall all kinds of things just as soon as he found the land
And I said I got some so we’ve been joining at the hip ever since I love it I love it and there’s so much that this Museum will do uh to educate Generations from now on the important role in history that we have all witnessed with the signing of the
Juneth holiday but much more than that the education that will come as a result Dr Robinson what would you like to share about your excitement and involvement in this project and while we’re okay Dr Robinson are you able to Yes uh can you hear me yes I’m Denice
Robinson and I am the immediate past chair of the board and going back to Dr Grant’s question about how it got started I began working with Jared before we even launched into being the board and I was very excited about the work I was the director of the fort wor
Public Library at the time and so you know education was important to me so one of the pieces of our entire project that excites me is the piece that you’ve been talking about in terms of the education so it’s not only the celebration of all that we have done and
All that we have accomplished but is it is as much about sharing the information and having a strong solid education a program that’s where people can come and learn and interact so that they can be involved in be challenged and motivated and make a decision about what they’re
Going to do to continue this F this Focus absolutely and everything has to start with a vision it has to start with just a desire to do s opal’s pursuit of educating the world about June teeth was something in her heart it was something in her gut it’s something that she felt
Strong about and as a woman of Zeta FAA Sor Incorporated service is one of the key things that we do so it’s not surprising that she had a passion but she moved that passion into action and the action has brought us here for this moment in history where we can continue
To lift the voice of the voiceless where we can continue to document and codify our space in history with this National juneteth Museum and I want to turn it over to our soror uh ktina for your role you have recently joined the board if I’m correct in the
Information that I received and you’re now able to be at the table with how this project continues to unfold how exciting was it for you to be a part of this National Jun teeth Museum board yeah first of all first and foremost thank you so much for having me here
Hello to all my so Wars that are watching thank you so much um I would say it is an incredible honor to serve on this board it is an incredible honor to be able to work alongside Jared um Tammy and glenise and so many others behind the scenes this is a Monumental
Project just bringing being being able to bring this to life I think will be one of the biggest accomplishments um not just for me but I think for our community and for the world and I think the second thing too is being able to be to to
So katima I think for a moment we we lost you so we’re just going to make sure because I don’t want anyone to miss what you’re sharing about the Monumental opportunity that this is and how far it goes beyond the holiday okay we can start again all right she’s gonna reset and
Come back because that was juicy and we don’t want any of those nuggets Miss but while she is doing that Dr tamy you have working as a consultant uh you are our D9 sister so you know we we we love you just the same but we are excited about the
Support that you’re giving this project and what would you attribute to why you wanted to be a part of this really social justice opportunity to establish this Museum well this is a history making moment for the the the entire world I think this is a Monumental to
Have a living legend in Miss Opel uh to really uh uh sort of share with the work that she’s been doing all of these years to uh the United States and and the world so I I think from a fundraising perspective um that is the role um that
I have in ensuring that this uh this this project uh comes to fruition so I’m just grateful to be a part of it and we’re very excited about um the opportunity to work with um your sority um in our endeavors absolutely and thank you for just the support in the Insight we’re
Going to show um some links on how you can actually engage and make your contributions for members of Zeta FB Authority Incorporated our Zeta amiki our youth auxiliaries our Zeta mail Network and of course we are the only constitutionally bound uh brother sister organization uh so our brothers of five
Beta Sigma fraternity Incorporated are also going to be doing their share Jared I see you laughing you know I couldn’t resist the opportunity to drive that point home but I want to thank you for sharing that Dr Tammy and go back over to our Sor um Kina can we test one more
Time okay here we go because I don’t want anyone to miss what you were saying it is at the Cornerstone of why this conversation closing out black history month is so important so back over to you my S sure I’m not sure where I left
Off but I think what I was the point I was um trying to enforce is just how important it is for us to bridge the gap with the work we’re doing at the national Jee tooth Museum which would be Monumental and global and being able to bridge the gap with myself you know
Being a member of that IFI Beta sorority representing not just the organization also the D9 this is an allinclusive effort and just looking forward to pulling everyone in to see how we can make this groundbreaking effort worldwide absolutely and when we we talk about the groundbreaking nature of the
Museum let’s get into Jared just some highlights around what the museum will offer I think that’s important for everyone watching to know that this is really an opportunity not only for Zeta beta Sor Incorporated for all of the D9 for all of those throughout the diaspora to really put their support behind an
Educational institution that is highlighting the truth of who we are and our contribution to the success of this country and all of what was built on our backs sure Dr Grant uh let me start by saying you asked a question earlier about the Genesis of this movement it’s
Important to know that Miss Opel has had a juneth museum uh for the last 20 or so years and so this Vision was birthed from what already existed we just wanted to scale it because quite frankly we think that everybody needs to know about juneth conversely we don’t think
Everybody does and so we needed a platform to educate the world on exactly what juneth is and why it’s significant so wanted to say shout out to miss Opel for having had a Jun Museum well before it became a national brand to that end uh we’re building this project in the
Heart of an historically black community that like histo like communities like it across the country have been destitute for a number of years excuse me in fact for a number of decades and so when you do something in a community like the one that building this you don’t just bring
In there are all sorts of other services and resources that they need right and so while we’re certainly building a national museum on the campus of the museum the museum will share with a food hall right so this community is one of the many that exists across the country
That the constituents and the residents don’t have a place to go sit down and have supper after church on a Sunday right so we’re going to change that Dynamic by bringing a five vendor Food Hall to the development we’ll also include a business incubators like so
The people that have the skills can get the resources that they need to scale their businesses or their ideas right in addition we’ll have a theater right so people like the people in this community have gifts and talents that they don’t have a place to go and show them off to
The world and so we intend to do a lot more than just bring the museum but let’s be clear everything that we’re doing is anchored by the national juneth museum and Our intention is make the world know and understand quite frankly why juneth is significant quite frankly
Why it needs to be celebrated not just in Texas but across the globe thank you for that Jared I appre appreciate it and we’re sharing on the screen and we will also uh put the link out so that folks can go and see the website see this National juneth Museum
Expanded from the vision that our Sora op Le had I I can only imagine at 97 if I’m blessed to live to 97 to see my body of work be able to be such a contribution to American culture but Global education it has got to be
Overwhelming and S opal I hope that you are smelling every single flower rose that you receive for what you have done for our community for Africans throughout the diaspora as we talk about the significance of staying the course and advocating for social justice Health Justice and economic Justice globally so
Is there anything else that you want to share we know that you have quite the packed agenda at 97 I don’t understand how you are from meeting to meeting event to event and program to program all with a smile and still willing to give of your time talent and
Treasure it’s freezing a little bit for sisa we’ll give her a chance to come back on okay there you go I keep thinking that if each of us would make ourself a committee of one to change somebody’s mind we know people who aren’t on the same page we are on change
Their minds GNA take more than a day but if people can be taught to hate they can be taught to love and I believe that if this happens oh I’ll go to heaven Happy Well we want to make sure you go to heaven happy and that’s why the members of Zeta sorority Incorporated
Have already started our financial contributions uh scrolling across the screen our 1920 campaign it’s a Freedom Campaign so we can have the freedom to teach our history the freedom to educate our children the freedom to solidify our space in history here in this country and abroad that’s why what our
Participation means to us as members of your organization that we would be the first at the table to offer this level of support and Lead our D9 partners because we are stronger together while each of us love our individual organizations have great pride and respect for the founders and their
Mission for what we are to accomplish we can only do it together and we just chosen different means to the same end and that’s to make sure that we lead this planet better better than how we found it that our impact and our footprint in the service that we give
The scholarships that we offer and the relationships through Sisterhood and Brotherhood help to sustain us on what can be a challenging Journey so we are grateful that we can love on you our Sor opal Le and excited about the opening of the juneth national juneteth museum in
Its new form in the next two to three years we want to give a little Grace for the construction the production because there’s quite a lot going into this project so Soros amiki youth auxiliaries Zeta mail Network friends and family that are watching this conversation a
Salute to our Sor Sor opal Lee and our conversation around how we as an organization continue what we have done celebrating our Founders who were the original when we think about advocating for social justice Health Justice and economic Justice they stood out against the societal ills in 1920 and unfortunately in
2024 we are still dealing with some of the same challenges that they saw coming in different forms but we are committed to making sure that our advocacy leads to action and that action is our financial contribution to this project in your honor so with that I’m going to
Just ask each of our Museum board members to share their final thoughts and then we’ll see if we have any questions coming in that we can address before we close out our lunchtime conversation today Jared over to you yeah thank you again Dr Grant for having
Us and thank you to your you and your Soros for the incredible effort and supporting this initiative I’ll just close with uh two vows that we make to everybody that vows support to us number one we vow to be good stewards of your gifts right uh and then the second thing
Is we vow and promise quite frankly to erect and establish Museum that most people are proud to have been a part of that’s our promise that’s our commitment and we hope that you’ll hold us to it as it relates to that but we’re incredibly grateful for the partnership and look
Forward to expanding it all the more certainly throughout the D9 absolutely thank you Jared and thank you for being here today Dr Robinson would you like to share any thoughts uh comments regarding our appreciation to you all for the support that you given now and for what you will
Give in the future I also Echo Jared’s comments in terms of the vision that we have and the work that we are planning to do and we look forward to your participation your active participation in helping us to reach that goal thank you for having us absolutely Dr Tammy over to
You I just want to say thank you to everyone for uh their participation and for the time time today for us to share this amazing project and um we look forward to getting you all to the goal um that you have established for the sority thank you so much and to my
Beautiful Sor ktina congratulations again on joining the board would you like to share any messages to your Soros and amiki that are here and our youth auxiliaries who will be participating and our Zeta Mel Network and friends and family sure first and foremost once again thank you so much to you know the
National Jun board for giving me this privilege to serve on the board and thank you so much Sor op for all the work that you’ve done and then a call to action right as Zeta as Zeta does we’re asking everyone to become involved right hold us accountable allow us to help us
Accomplish our mission I sit on I’m happy to serve on our events committee we have an event coming up on March 28th our uniting voices um it’s our speaker series with Isabelle Wilkerson who is our who’s a peler prize winner as well as New York Times bestselling author
That’s March Thursday March 28th at 700 p.m. at Van Clyburn Concert Hall in Fort Worth Texas anyone that’s interested I would certainly post it um share the information in our Seda group it’ll be listed it’s listed in so many places but we’re looking forward to everyone’s attendance well thank you for sharing
That information and representing Us in the finer fashion that you are on the national juneth board and we will give uh the final words to our Sora opal and we’ll check and see if there’s anything else I think we’ve covered it all we’ve put the links out there you know how to
Visit the website for the museum we are scrolling the information on how you can donate your $19.20 uh to this campaign and we will of course keep you updated on all of what is unfolding with this exciting project events and other ways that you can support but we appreciate that you
Took time out of your afternoon or morning depending on when you’re watching it or you’re catching the replay to hear how Zeta beta Sor Incorporated continues to embrace the extraordinary power of shei advocating for social justice Health Justice and economic Justice globally and today’s conversation in pursuit of social
Justice honoring our very own Sor opal Lee Sor op Lee any final words they are inspired S type it in the chat we love you s opal we’re grateful for you we thank you we’re so proud of you I mean it’s too many for me to read but just
Know your sorority celebrates you because you are living black history I’m so thankful so thankful to be a part of Zeta fva and I am grateful for all the young people and realize you’re all young people if you’re not 97 I’m so grateful for every one of you and the
Contributions you made and the contributions you’re going to make so hey just know I feel like I’m on top of the world thank you so much you are welcome thank you we love you and appreciate you always keeping you in our prayers and for everyone while we celebrate and Chronicle the
Achievements of Africans throughout the diaspora J Black History Month every day is a day for you to be living history for you to create your mark and as members of Zeta beta soror Incorporated it is incumbent upon us to be able to honor the tradition of our five Founders
By how we give back to community founded on the principles of scholarship service Sisterhood and final Womanhood thank you all again for joining and make sure you share it out let everyone know how they can participate and being a part of our 1920 Freedom Campaign for the national
Juneth museum in honor of our very own Sor opal Le and I want to thank your granddaughters both Dion and Brenda for their behindth scenes work always making sure that you’re aware of how we intend to keep lifting you up in this great work that we’re doing bye bye everyone
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