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People filled the streets; the band could be heard for miles and the DJ played all the hits, all day long.Two young men from Detroit had an incredible turn-out for their 4th Annual Juneteenth Community Event. It's hard to imagine the amount of time, dedication and effort that had been spent for such a successful event.

Visionaries Stacey D. Faulkner and Demetrius "Meech" Edison, said that they wanted to keep the celebration of Juneteenth and the love of community at the forefront of their event. The two, who grew up in Fountain Court Cooperative, which is located on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and the I-96 Service Dr., said that over the past 30 years, this community has become family. When asked, "How was it growing up in Fountain Court?", Demetrius Edison said, "it's always been about community and they taught us the meaning behind it."

Stacey D. Faulkner said, "It is a family in Fountain Court, there are generations of families that have and continue to live here."

As attendees entered the community, the roads were blocked off, so you had to park and walk the rest of the way but, that didn't stop the people from showing up in great numbers with the temperatures being in the 80s. Neighbors could be seen having a blast outside on the lawn and in the streets, talking with one another, as they reminisced on past memories. Food! Of course, food was involved, whether it was the food station line or families cooking and barbecuing their own, there was plenty to go around.

Even the children had a great time and that was due to the options they had to choose from. Some were inside the bouncing battlefield, the mobile arcade or at the mobile exotic animal table. Kids were seen all over the place just being kids, without cares or worries and just having fun. Some were just running up and down the field, playing football and competing against each other doing flips and different dances. Stacey and Demetrius certainly kept everyone in mind, as they left no options to not have fun. They literally covered it all.

It all started as a thought with four days left in between, before the event took place, for the very first time, in 2020. The concept came together by asking for donations and the two visionaries covered the rest. At that time, they were on a mission to educate their community on what Juneteenth was truly about, it's rich history and what it meant to African-Americans in this country. Four years later, it's become an unbelievable reality for Stacey D. Faulkner and Demetrius "Meech" Edison, as they received the "Spirt of Detroit Award". An award that is requested from any Council Member for a person, event or organization being honored for an outstanding achievement or service to the citizens of Detroit.

People from the community participated in their Annual Juneteenth Parade

It was in that exact moment of receiving the award, where these two were shocked and had been overcome with emotions.Both of them wanted to thank everyone, who had helped them over the years and they wanted to give a special thanks to their mothers, Angela Faulkner and Ms. Edison for their support of their vision and to their friend, Chalcee Norwood, who had surprised them with the award.

Overall, these two gentlemen are excited about next year's Juneteenth event. So far, talks have begun about next year plans, as they'll be celebrating their 5th year. So let their story of community, love for their neighbors, dedication and hard work inspire you. Allow it to fuel your hopes and dreams and that if you start with a simple thought, you must never give up but continue to work through it until the end. It is possible for you too, that one day with just a thought, it will be your reality.

If you would like to become a sponsor or to help donate next year, please contact Mr. Stacey Faulkner at [email protected] or on Instagram at StaceyAphiA or contact Mr. Demetrius Edison on Instagram at Theegghunt_.