“We continue to play such a critical role in the fabric of the United States,”: Highlighting Black-owned businesses around the Coachella Valley

Juneteenth is a day of celebration for all in the United States, and it commemorates the day all enslaved African-Americans were emancipated around the U.S. “For me, it shows a day of celebration,” said Jarvis Crawford, President of the Palm Springs Black History Committee. “This is true Independence Day. We can actually say in 1865, every American and every citizen living in America, was free.” Crawford comes from a family of Black business owners. In his bloodline, several generations of entrepreneurs that moved to the Coachella Valley from East Texas. “I can go far as my great grandmother having her own business as a janitor here in Palm Springs back in the 60’s and 70’s,” said Crawford. That family tradition is something that makes Juneteenth even more special to him and his family. “Coming to California and sharing Juneteenth and what the holiday really means, it brought a whole new meaning to Juneteenth,” said Crawford. “And now here I am able to share the history of what Juneteenth is to not only my family, and my community, but to the entire Coachella Valley.” Crawford’s mother, Gina Robinson, continued the generational entrepreneurship. She owns and operates Just Gina’s, a salon in...