A Juneteenth Q&A with Third Space Action Lab

ThirdSpace Action Lab is a Cleveland-based “grassroots research, strategy, and design cooperative dedicated to developing creative, place-based prototype solutions to achieve racial equity.” Their mission is to “create free ‘third places’ for people of color.”

Located on the ground floor of the Madison Building at 1464 E. 105th St. in Glenville, ThirdSpace is hosting a series of Juneteenth-themed events called “Black is Joy.”

Signal Cleveland spoke with Evelyn Burnett (Co-Founder and CEO), Mordecai Cargill (Co-Founder and Creative Director) and Sean Clark (Director of Marketing) to get their thoughts on the holiday. The interview has been edited for brevity.

Q: Can we relax and celebrate our freedom?

Cargill: Definitely not. There is a debate going on in the United States right now about who belongs. Moreover, the history is under great attack because of the legacy of structural racism, the history of slavery, and the way we as Americans define citizenship in racist terms. The Juneteenth holiday is something of an annual pause to really reflect on how far we still have to go to fulfill the promise of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence for all American citizens.

Q: So what should people do on Juneteenth? Something educational? Or is it OK to have a barbecue?

Burnett: I think you should really do what you want. It’s like Martin Luther King Day. For decades, there’s been a debate about whether it’s a day to work, a day off, a day of service. Who should do the service? Should black people just rest? I think like any holiday, there should be an educational component. It’s so important that we remember and understand it, but I think we should also celebrate.

Q: What do you want people to take away most from your Juneteenth event?

Cargill: We’re trying to bring our community together to experience what it’s like to be safe and happy and just admire the most beautiful image of ourselves, because we should always be together. I feel like Black people have to choose each other. When we think about the future of Black neighborhoods, when we think about these important Black institutions, we have to embrace the responsibility of taking care of it. And that starts with building community among ourselves.

Clarke: For me, it’s all about preservation. When it becomes just another day (in the future), we want people to look at what we captured and say, “Oh, that’s how it’s supposed to be.” There was a barbecue, but there was also enrichment. And there was this book. So I see it as this sepia photo that shows that ThirdSpace Action Lab played a monumental role in creating something for Juneteenth in Cleveland.