Butterfly Effect Project to host Juneteenth event at its HQ

The Butterfly Effect Project is hosting a free Juneteenth community celebration at its headquarters Thursday, June 19.

This will be the nonprofit organization’s first time being able to have the event in its very own, permanent home, founder Tijuana Fulford said. Celebrated every June 19, Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in Texas in 1865. It became a federal holiday in 2021.

All are welcome to stop by the event at 1146 Main Road in Riverhead from noon to 3 p.m., which will feature nearly 25 local collaborators, food, entertainment, vendors and more. This includes the Riverhead Police Department, the Riverhead Town Anti-Bias Taskforce, barber Charlie Green — who will be returning to cut hair again — and others. Some activities include sand art-making and a nail station.

Ms. Fulford said the event is not only a way to honor Juneteenth, but to celebrate freedom, share joy and build community.

“[It’s] a day of celebration; a day of paying homage; a day of moving forward; a day of saying, ‘This was yesterday, and now we’re gonna figure out tomorrow, but today we celebrate,'” Ms. Fulford said. “I think that the most important thing that Juneteenth means to me is the idea that we can finally move forward, the idea that I’m allowed to dream today — I can actually give and receive openly today, I’m free.”

The organizer added that there will be a “plethora” of soul food for visitors to sample and try, including fried fish, collard greens, smoked spare ribs, chicken, baked macaroni and other dishes inspired by Southern cuisine. She said she hopes it allows people to taste and experience each other’s culture — another way of celebrating one another through food.

There will be no shortage of entertainment either, Ms. Fulford said, with her “butterflies” completely running the variety show. There will be tap dancing performances, as well as the very last public show for the graduating seniors involved in the the Butterfly Effect Project Blitz team — a final curtain that will be “a very bittersweet experience,” Ms. Fulford said.

Ms. Fulford launched The Butterfly Effect Project in 2014 and achieved nonprofit status the following year. In its infancy, the group held meetings in the Riverhead Free Library basement with just eight girls from the Riverhead and Flanders area. Today, the organization has grown to over 20 chapters that serve more 700 girls and boys across Suffolk County.

When the organization promoted the Wo/Man Empower Wo/Men event on its Facebook page in February, the group was confronted with “disgusting racist tropes” and “hateful” comments from outside aggressors. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Fulford had to make the difficult decision to cancel BEP’s Pearls of Wisdom fundraiser event due to threats from anonymous callers.  

Since then, the nonprofit has discussed improved safety and security protocols, and has received increased police patrol units around its Jamesport headquarters, as well as guaranteed security at future events.

“There was some hesitation, but like I told everyone in my last statement, we are moving forward,” Ms. Fulford said. “We will not be known as a group that was muted or the group that canceled because of fear — we took that time to refocus, revamped and reset. Unlike before, we are prepared for what might come our way.”

Volunteers are welcome to help out at the Juneteenth event. Ms. Fulford said the organization is also accepting donated materials for the party, including aluminum foil, long aluminum pans, aluminum racks, ice, forks, spoons, serving utensils, desserts and “welcoming smiles.”

To collaborate or contribute, email [email protected] or call 631-591-0759.