Following the success of last year’s inaugural, live-streamed event, UNITYFEST 2022 will take over Brooklyn and stream live around the world
Headlined by Tye Tribbett and held at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Lena Horne Bandshell at Prospect Park, the JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST Concert will also feature performances by Deborah Cox, Israel Houghton, Mali Music, and more
BROOKLYN, N.Y., June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Robert Randolph Foundation is pleased to announce the second annual JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST, a national, multicultural experience, uniting diverse voices and communities in commemoration and celebration of Juneteenth and Black culture. Broadcast live around the world from Brooklyn, NY, UNITYFEST 2022 will include multiple entertainment, arts education and community activism events, including the JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST Concert taking place at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Lena Horne Bandshell at Prospect Park. Falling on Father’s Day Sunday, the event will feature performances by some of the world’s leading gospel artists, including Tye Tribbett, Deborah Cox, Israel Houghton, Mali Music, and more, and celebrate themes of inspiration, faith, and fatherhood in Black culture and beyond.
“Juneteenth is a day to remember America’s past, recognize the resilience and strength of Black people, and celebrate the progress we have made,” commented Robert Randolph, founder of the Robert Randolph Foundation. “This year, given that Juneteenth falls on Sunday and on Father’s Day, we also wanted to celebrate the role that gospel music and the church have had in uplifting the Black community over the years, and celebrate the stories of Black fathers who are working to uplift their own communities and families at home.”
UNITYFEST will celebrate the breadth and depth of Black culture and Juneteenth as a uniquely American experience, while providing a platform to unite a coalition of charitable grassroots organizations. The festivities will begin with the JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST Block Party at Under the ‘K’ Bridge Park, an old-school neighborhood block party featuring DJ Spinna, Josh Milan, Soul Summit Music, and Descendants of Sound. Anchored by the official JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST Concert at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Lena Horne Bandshell at Prospect Park, headlined by the award-winning gospel singer and keyboardist Tye Tribbett, UNITYFEST will also feature a late night after party at Brooklyn Bowl. Full details will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Heal America is honored to partner on the second annual JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST with the Robert Randolph Foundation,” said Branden Polk, Director of Strategic Partnerships of Heal America, a movement to fight racial injustice with love and redemption. “Last year, we witnessed this festival bring a diverse group of individuals together celebrating Black culture and educating viewers on Black history. Now is the time that we must unite and collectively bridge longstanding racial divides. As a minister and supporter of the Heal America movement, I’m inspired to work toward healing and honoring Juneteenth while listening to the gospel and music greats like; Tye Tribbett, Deborah Cox, and so many other amazing individuals and artists dedicated to celebrating and commemorating Juneteenth.”
“We’re so excited and privileged to be working with Robert and UNITYFEST for this inaugural Juneteenth event,” said Diane Eber, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Executive Producer. “This celebration of Black artistry and resilience is central to what we do at the Bandshell all summer long. Thank you, Robert, for bringing this incredible vision to life!”
Supporting this year’s JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST as a sponsor and community partner is the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a social impact funder supporting nonprofits nationwide at the intersection of music and public space. “Strengthening the social fabric of communities through free, live music is central to our mission,” says Sharon Yazowski, Executive Director of the Levitt Foundation. “We are honored to partner with the Robert Randolph Foundation for this year’s JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST, celebrating the vibrancy and significant contributions of Black artists and culture into American society, while furthering equal justice for people of all backgrounds.”
JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST is the brainchild of Grammy-nominated African-American artist Robert Randolph, whose goal is to produce a multicultural experience that unites people of all backgrounds while amplifying the many narratives of the Black experience in America. Randolph, The Robert Randolph Foundation, and the JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST team also recognize the importance of bringing awareness to Juneteenth as a holiday and helping people understand its significance in American history. When the last of the country’s enslaved people were made aware of the Emancipation Proclamation on June 19, 1865, it signaled a changing tide. Today, we have the opportunity to change the tide again through this nationwide event that will serve as a reflective and celebratory catalyst to continue to drive inclusive cultures that strengthen the social fabric of America.
“While Juneteenth, the holiday, marks the symbolic end of slavery in America, our goal is for JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST to represent the accomplishments of Black people in the United States,” Randolph adds. “Through this celebration, our mission is for Juneteenth to serve as an occasion to remember the past, acknowledge our progression and take collective action towards creating a ‘more perfect union’ for all Americans.”
JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST is made possible by phenomenal sponsors and partners, including Heal America, Levitt Foundation, and LiveOne as the official streaming partner. Through LiveOne, the stream will also be accessible via LiveOne’s distribution platform on STIRR, SLING, AppleTV, and its social media channels including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and TikTok. The inaugural event has also aligned itself with incredible community partners to ensure historical accuracy and authenticity, including Heal America. The full list of sponsors and partner organizations can be viewed on their website at https://juneteenthunityfest.com/community-partners/
For more information on JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST, presented by the Robert Randolph Foundation, visit www.juneteenthunityfest.com, download the JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST app, or follow them on social media, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST 2022 Schedule – Sunday, June 19th
JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST Block Party
Location: Under the K Bridge, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Time: 2pm-7pm EST
Partnership: In partnership with Heal America, KeiStar Productions, NAACBurners, and House of Yes
JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST Concert at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!
Location: Lena Horne Bandshell at Prospect Park – Brooklyn
Time: 7:30pm-10pm EST
Partnership: In partnership with BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn
Juneteenth After Party Experience
Location: Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn)
Time: 10:30-12am EST
About JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST
Founded in 2021, JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST is an annual event presented by the Robert Randolph Foundation, a (501)(c)(3) organization that strives to bring together diverse voices in commemoration and celebration of Juneteenth and Black culture, both significant contributors to the vibrancy of American history and culture. JUNETEENTH UNITYFEST also serves as a national platform for a coalition of charitable and grassroots organizations to amplify their missions and bolster support for their work in advancing national unity.
About the Robert Randolph Foundation
The Robert Randolph Foundation is the brainchild of celebrated African American artist Robert Randolph. As a man with a long history of community involvement, Robert has remained passionately committed to programs and initiatives focused on family support and development. This passion inspired him to create this foundation as a skill development platform for youth from all walks of life to gain knowledge that can transform their lives regardless of their cultural, social, or racial backgrounds. The Robert Randolph Foundation has launched The CRE8 Your Future Academy, a nationally recognized community-based skill development program that provides access to every child in every community with career pathway opportunities. This program is focused on strategic pathways leading to self-sufficiency and young entrepreneurship, enriching their lives and strengthening the communities in which they live. Through the power of community, education, and arts, the Robert Randolph Foundation is creating better possibilities for brighter futures. www.robertrandolphfoundation.org
About Heal America
Heal America is a movement to advance racial justice through empowerment. Heal America does this by investing in the tools, resources, and capital needed by local and national changemakers that seek to eliminate injustice. Grown from a series of local events hosted by Urban Specialists, Stand Together Foundation has partnered to expand the Heal America movement to cities across the country. Heal America seeks to interrupt violence in local communities, strengthen relationships among communities and law enforcement, and address injustice through bottom-up change. To learn more visit www.healamericamovement.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @joinhealamerica.
About Levitt Foundation
The Levitt Foundation exists to strengthen the social fabric of America. We partner with communities to activate underused outdoor spaces, creating welcoming and inclusive destinations where the power of free, live music brings people together and invigorates community life. Presenting a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt venues and Levitt AMP concert sites are community anchors where families, friends and neighbors of all ages and backgrounds come together.
About BRIC
BRIC is a leading arts and media institution anchored in Downtown Brooklyn whose work spans contemporary visual and performing arts, media, and civic action. For over forty years, the institution has shaped Brooklyn’s cultural and media landscape by presenting and incubating artists, creators, students, and media makers. As a creative catalyst for its community, BRIC ignites learning in people of all ages and centralizes diverse voices that take risks and drive culture forward. BRIC is building Brooklyn’s creative future.
About LiveOne, Inc.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, LiveOne,Inc. (NASDAQ: LVO) (the “Company”) is an award-winning, creator-first, music, entertainment and technology platform focused on delivering premium experiences and content worldwide through memberships and live and virtual events. As of April 25, 2022, the Company has accrued a paid and free membership base of over 2.26 million**, streamed over 2,900 artists, has a library of 30 million songs, 600 curated radio stations, nearly 270 podcasts/vodcasts, hundreds of pay-per-views, personalized merchandise, released music-related NFTs, and created a valuable connection between fans, brands, and bands.The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries include Slacker Radio, React Presents, Gramophone Media, Palm Beach Records, Custom Personalization Solutions, LiveXLive, PPVOne and PodcastOne, which generates more than 2.48 billion downloads per year and 300+ episodes distributed per week across its stable of top-rated podcasts. LiveOne is available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and through OTT, STIRR, and XUMO. For more information, visit www.liveone.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter at @liveone.
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John Bleicher
EMAIL: john@prospectpr.com
SOURCE Robert Randolph Foundation / PRNewswire
