Juneteenth, Community, and the Stories We Share

At Inspiration's Edge, we believe that every community has stories worth telling and voices worth hearing.

As we recognize Juneteenth, we join communities across the country in honoring the significance of June 19, 1865, when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved African Americans in Texas; more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. It is a day of remembrance, celebration, reflection, and an opportunity to consider how history continues to shape our present.

As a small community theatre organization in the Hi-Desert, we absolutely know we don't have all the answers. We won't always get everything right. Building spaces that are truly welcoming, inclusive, and representative of the many experiences that make up our communities is ongoing work. It requires listening, learning, humility, and a willingness to grow.

Theatre has long been a place where stories can challenge us, inspire us, and help us see the world through someone else's eyes. Black playwrights, performers, directors, musicians, and storytellers have profoundly shaped American theatre and culture. From the groundbreaking work of Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun) and August Wilson (Fences, The Piano Lesson) to the voices of contemporary artists such as Lynn Nottage (Sweat, Ruined), Katori Hall (The Mountaintop), and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Appropriate, Purpose), their contributions have expanded not only what we see on stage, but whose stories are given space to be told.

At Inspiration's Edge, our mission is to bring the stage to our communities. That mission means more than producing shows. It means creating opportunities for people to participate, collaborate, and share their perspectives. Whether through open calls for directors and season submissions, volunteer opportunities, or performances in nontraditional spaces, we strive to create room for new voices and new ideas.

We also recognize that there is always more work to do. Representation is not a box to check; it is an ongoing commitment to asking who is missing from the conversation, whose stories have not yet been told, and how we can continue to make space for a wider range of experiences and perspectives.

Here in the Hi-Desert, we are fortunate to be part of a diverse and creative community. Juneteenth serves as a reminder that our communities are strongest when more people have the opportunity to be seen, heard, and valued. As artists, volunteers, audience members, and neighbors, we all have a role to play in fostering that sense of belonging.

This Juneteenth, we invite our community to learn, listen, reflect, and celebrate the contributions of Black artists whose work has enriched our stages and our culture. We remain committed to growing, learning, and continuing to build a community theatre organization where creativity, empathy, and collaboration can thrive.

Thank you for being part of that journey.

Happy Juneteenth.

— The Inspiration's Edge Team