“Creativity is Our Freedom” – A Juneteenth Reflection
In this moving Juneteenth reflection, writer Énjelle Mitchell reminds us that Black creativity is more than art — it’s resistance, legacy, and liberation. From the melodies of our ancestors to the masterpieces of today’s visionaries, our creativity has always been a radical act of survival and self-expression. This post celebrates the unbreakable spirit of Black artists, urging us to keep dreaming, keep building, and keep creating — not just for ourselves, but for every ancestor who dreamed of us. This Juneteenth, we don’t just remember freedom — we live it through our art.
Juneteenth is not just a celebration of freedom. It is a reminder that even when we were not seen as fully human, we were still created. Our ancestors carved joy from pain. They made music without instruments, danced on dirt floors, and braided liberation into strands of hair. Creativity was never a hobby. It was survival, spirit, and resistance.
Now, generations later, we are still here. We are still creating. And we are living proof that our ancestors’ dreams did not die. They live through us. They live through our art, our music, our writing, our fashion, and every part of our expression. We are walking, breathing proof of Black imagination in motion.
To me, creativity means freedom. It is how I speak when the world tries to silence me. It is how I breathe in spaces not made for me. It is how I tell stories that others try to erase. Creativity is not just something we do. It is who we are. And it deserves to be protected.
That is why we must never stop. Especially now.
During Trump’s presidency, we witnessed attacks on truth and on art. Programs were stripped away. Books were banned. Honest conversations about race and identity were labeled dangerous. But what is more dangerous than truth is a world without imagination. When we stop dreaming, we stop building. When we stop creating, we stop resisting.
That is why I am saying this with my whole chest. Do not stop creating.
Sing your truth. Paint your story. Write your poems. Design your vision. Dance your legacy. Whatever your gift is, use it. Your art is more than self-expression. It is resistance. It is healing. It is a mirror for our people and a window for the world to see us clearly.
They fear our creativity because it inspires change. It challenges systems. It brings people together. And it cannot be controlled.
So to every Black creative reading this, know that your work matters. Your light matters. You are not just making art. You are honoring those who came before you and paving the way for those who will come after. Your creativity is how freedom continues to grow.
This Juneteenth, celebrate your freedom by using it. Speak your truth. Shine your light. And never let anyone tell you that your creativity does not belong.
We are our ancestors’ wildest dreams.
And through our creativity, they are still dreaming with us.
Keep going. Keep creating. Keep being free.
— Énjelle Mitchell