Juneteenth Healing the Community Festival

For the past 50  years, the Cooper Family Juneteenth has been a unique event in San Diego. It’s history traces back to a man named Sidney Cooper Sr. who owned and ran the Twilight Barber Shop and the Cooper & Sons’ Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Produce Store on 2973 Imperial Avenue, along with his wife Thelma who ran the adjacent Powder Puff Beauty Salon. A very proud Black man, Sidney strongly believed in the importance of supporting Black-owned businesses, giving back to the community, fostering entrepreneurship, and getting an education . Known as “the Mayor of Imperial Avenue” because of his heavy involvement in and love for his community, the hosting of Juneteenth was just one of the many ways Sydney gave back to the neighborhood he cared for so much. Today we honor the vision our father had to give tribute to African-American presence in San Diego and their many contributions to the San Diego community. The Cooper family wants to continue to expand on the long established relationships built over many years to both preserve the heritage of this historically Black neighborhood, and be inclusive of the growing multicultural aspects of this now racially diverse area. .

In addition to providing a cultural & educational experience, one of our primary goals is to provide overall well-being, assistance and empowerment to those in our community who are struggling with homelessness, poverty and addiction. We would be unable to do this without the participation and Sponsorship from the following businesses and agencies : Floyd Robinson Foundation-New Assurance Baptist Church – Southeast Community Church- Black Contractors Association –  Triple Threat Ballers – Rotary Club of Southeast San Diego – San Diego Crisis Line – San Ysidro Health Services – Black Infant Health Program – County of San Diego  -Rancho Market -Brunos -WALMART -Backpacks filled with Love -Ever Prime Concepts.