Centers for Independence Celebrates Community and Culture at Milwaukee’s Juneteenth Celebration

June 19 marks Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States in 1865. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is home to one of the largest and longest-running Juneteenth celebrations in the United States.

For the past five years, Centers for Independence (CFI) has proudly supported this celebration. This year, members of the Network of African American Colleagues (NAC), a CFI employee resource group, volunteered to host a booth and promote CFI’s programs and services, including free summer meals, behavioral health support, crisis resources and more.

“NAC assists my office in upholding the ideals that help us value and appreciate diversity,” said Al Hill, CFI’s Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Affairs. “At CFI, we have a very proactive cultural competency program.”

This cultural competency program is central to CFI’s work in the community, “We are a diverse world. We are a diverse organization. We want to celebrate and embrace our differences,” said Sonny Nious-Randle, CFI’s Diversity and Inclusion Specialist. “We are here to let everyone know that we provide different services for total health for our community.”

NAC is an inclusive group, with an emphasis on including and celebrating diversity in the workplace. “I started with NAC from my very first day,” said Sir Davis, an IRIS Consultant at CFI and serves as Chair of Cultural Events for NAC. “I’m an advocate, so right away I wanted to be part of it.”

This year, Sisi Klessig, a Compliance Specialist for CFI and Mentorship and Leadership Development Chair for NAC, volunteered with her son, Graham. Raising a child in a suburban area that isn’t as diverse, Klessig emphasized the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for connection.

“Being a part of the community, it’s up to me to expose him to more outside of our bubble,” she said. “Sometimes you get so used to being where you are. I want him to be more well-rounded so he can exist in many different worlds and environments.” While Graham learned about Juneteenth in school, experiencing the celebration in person, surrounded by culture, community and positivity, offered something deeper and more impactful.

Yuriy Ksenidi, a Payroll Garnishment Specialist in iLIFE, has also come to understand the meaning of Juneteenth through personal experiences and reflection. “Recognizing Juneteenth as a pivotal moment in U.S. history helps me build sincere, supportive relationships with those who see it as part of their lives,” he said. “Their resilience inspires me to become more culturally competent and connect through ongoing one-on-one conversations.”

Milwaukee’s Juneteenth celebration is a time when the community comes together to connect – one of CFI’s foundational principles. CFI is deeply rooted in Milwaukee with a commitment to improving outcomes in Milwaukee. CFI does this by being a resource for individuals, families and communities in the continuum of care, and fervently collaborate with other like-minded institutions.

CFI is proud to have been part of this year’s celebration and honored to stand alongside the community recognizing the significance of Juneteenth.