RILLYRIL and Cherish Patton Host 2021 Juneteenth Festival in Brooklyn

Written By: Nish Baig
Jaleh Williams aka artist RILLYRIL and Cherish Patton joined forces to host their second annual Juneteenth Festival at Prospect Park in Brooklyn. The purpose of the festival was to promote equal freedom, support  and celebrate the history of black lives through the use of the arts, education, and cultural activities. The two worked really hard on organizing the event and even pulled sponsors like JUST Water, Until Freedom, Sprayground and Team Enterprises with food from TERANGA, an african restaurant in Harlem. Not only was the event sponsored, it also had the help and support of the community with countless volunteer sound engineers, stage designer, DJ’s, and vendors. The festival also had an amazing lineup of local talent like host RILLYRIL, Chelsea Reject, 3rd Realm, Mimz, CeddyJay, Dear Africa, SemiraTruth, Diani, Po.Edik, and Mareko. There were also poets, spiritual healers, dancers and a band performance.

We caught up with the two hosts to discuss the event and how it all came together.

(All Photo credit: @Sameasy_shoots)

Who all were involved in planning the Juneteenth Festival?

Ril: The fest was organized by Jaleh Williams also known as Artist RillyRil and Cherish Patton. We are both community organizers. I met Cherish through instagram and she had been supporting my music for some time. I throw shows often and hold space in our community for at of underground showcases so i have a lot of experience with event planning and enrolling people.  

During the protests happening back in 2020 to Protest and stand up for back lives i connected with Cherish because she was leading huge protest in the city. We connected again and decided to join forces to create positive change in our community with our 1st Annual Juneteenth Event. And it ended hosting upwards of 600 people last year and around 800-1,000 people this year. 

Why is Juneteenth significant to you and what motivated you to throw this festival?

Ril: I feel Juneteenth is Significant because i notice so often in myself and other that are descendants of slaves in America today, that we do NOT know who we are. We haven’t been raised to know who we are, we do not see reflections of who we are here, who we are in today’s world due to products of being marginalized people for centuries still today. I felt that if i could participate in anyway to bring more love, confidence, hope, joy, and celebration into our community then I would need to do that. Juneteenth is about celebrating black lives and uplifting us with hope again, reminding us of our power, and continuing to promote equal freedom for us since we still experience different forms of slavery today. Whether it’s our jail system, war on drugs, mental slavery and other things that are products of slavery .

Cherish: Juneteenth is significant because it’s the celebration of my ancestors freedom. A day to honor their survival of the unimaginable horrors of slavery and their resilience through it all. I celebrate Juneteenth as a monument to my freedom that my ancestors fought and a freedom we continue to fight for everyday. 

Who were some of the standout performers?

Ril: Freakquencee, CeddyJay, RillyRil, 3rd Realm, Chelsea Reject.

Cherish: Every performer we had was incredible, every performer was unique and brought the show to life. Some of my favorites were Freakquencee, Po.edik, Ceddyjay & of course the huge mashup with RillyRil and 3rdrealm! 

Who were some of the sponsors for the festival?

Ril: Just Water , Terranga , Team Enterprises , Spray Ground

How did your event help bring the community together? 

Ril: We created an energy of unity and community that day. Our annual event if you attend you will see how everyone is a family. You wouldn’t even know that people didn’t know each other. by the time you leave you have around 25+ new possible friends or people to support and connect with. This is helpful for the community because we are re-learning what intimacy can be for us when we come together like this. We are building a new and better world. 

Cherish: Every Juneteenth event brings the community closer together. Every year we that we celebrate Juneteenth we strengthen our communities. Jaleh and I bring black musicians & creatives together to celebrate their liberation through art and dope ass energy! We do our best to create a space, a moment in time, an energy that people can bring home with them. A place to make new friends, see old ones and live in black joy. 

Do you feel like the festival was a success?

Ril: It was a success for sure. For me its not about the number or who’s apart of the Festival. It’s really about the lives that were positively effected. From the hundred of attendees and vendors and artists i have already gotten feedback from people saying that our event was the most fun they have had in 2 years since covid. At that it was their favorite show so far. That’s a blessing to hear how this affects them!

Cherish: Any celebration where there is black joy is a success. Any space where we honor those who came before us is a success. We always learn from our events and strive to do even better next year but each time we celebrate, it is a success.

What was your favorite part about the festival?

Ril: My favorite part was when we were all mashing Fufu. We created a healing circle, lead by MAIYAH. She created a dance move that replicated the same movement it looks like to pound Fufu in west africa with a huge wooden stick. We all danced together as we pounded our own fufu which symbolized what we wanted to manifest/pound into our lives or creations.

Cherish: My favorite part of Juneteenth Jubilee is sitting back and watching the crowd of black and brown faces, from all across the 5 boroughs, feel joy. Watching people make friends, watching people dance, sing, eat good food, it is always the best part! 

How important is music in bringing people together?

Ril: Music is its own language and universal. It doesn’t matter what language music is you can feel the emotions, frequencies, and life from it. Music always brings us together. It can inspire people from different backgrounds and lives to dance together and since together. Music is a powerful thing.

Cherish: In every culture around the world music is found. It is a universal language that needs no words. Black people have brought our music all the way across the Atlantic Ocean and 500 years later we still celebrate as our ancestors did, with our music. 

Is there any music you want to promote or anything you're currently working on that you'd like to share?

Ril: I just released a song called Please Leave Me Alone. It’s about honoring our own boundaries and solitude.

Cherish: I am currently working on myself and my business plans! Follow my Instagram @cherishluvsyou for all updates! 

How long have you been making music and throwing events?

Ril: Been performing since i was 5 years old. Making music for 3 years publicly. And throwing events for 2 years. I haven’t had a lot of experience but what i do comes from my spirit. So you would think i have been doing this for 10+ years. I have an old soul. 

Cherish:I have been creating since I was four years old, I’ve been acting since I was eight years old, and I’ve been doing shows theater and everything in between since I was 12 years old. Creating is an essential part of me living in my truth and happiness. It is the sunshine that keeps my tree of life strong and tall. 

What do you have on the way?

Ril: I have a project releasing in late august so i will be releasing singles from my project until them. The project touches on Afro-futurism, self power, self love, and the sciences of life.

Are you planning any other events this summer? 

Ril: Yes. I’m curating two more huge shows. One art show and an outdoor showcase. Will save surprises for later!