Honoring history, building community
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Oak Harbor residents are once again invited to celebrate Juneteenth, a holiday that Fannie Dean, the pastor of Mission Ministry Faith Center, said is rooted not only in freedom, but also in love, remembrance and community.
The event, sponsored by Unity Fellowship, will begin at noon, with programming starting at 1 p.m. on June 19 at Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor. There will be food, music, dance performances, recreational sports and a program honoring Juneteenth and the “ongoing journey toward freedom,” according to a flyer.
For Dean, Juneteenth is an opportunity to reflect on a hard-fought history while celebrating the people who carry that story forward.
She said it’s a celebration to look back and “remind us how good God has been to us.”
That message, she said, belongs to everyone, and therefore all are invited to celebrate.
Oak Harbor has become a diverse community where people of different cultures live side by side. Dean believes Juneteenth offers a chance to learn from one another and recognize their shared humanity.
The celebration will feature music and praise dancing, but Dean said those traditions carry a deeper meaning than entertainment alone. For many Black families, she said, music has long been tied to stories of perseverance and faith.
“Being able to hear the songs that our grandmama, our great grandmama used to sing about,” she said. “You know, it just, it touches your heart,” she said.
The program is expected to include praise dancing performed to the song “Stand Up,” a theme Dean said reflects resilience and determination.
“You cannot do nothing when you’re down. My god. But when you stand up, you can get a chance to go again.”
Beyond honoring the past, Dean hopes the event encourages understanding among neighbors at a time when conversations about history can be divisive. She believes Juneteenth remains important because its lessons still resonate today. Her perspective is grounded in a message of compassion that she said has been passed down through generations of Christians.
“Jesus taught us about love,” she said. “You know what kindness does? Kindness turns away wrath.”
That spirit of inclusion has shaped Oak Harbor’s Juneteenth observances for decades. The local event’s reputation has now spread beyond Whidbey Island.
This year, organizers in Bellingham invited Oak Harbor participants to join their Juneteenth celebration after seeing the work being done on Whidbey. Local speakers and praise dancers from Mission Ministry Faith Center will participate at the event. Bellingham will celebrate Juneteenth from 2-6 p.m. on June 20 at Maritime Heritage Park.
Contact fanniedean05@yahoo.com to learn more about the Juneteenth celebration in Oak Harbor.
