Life University (Life U) is an institution built upon the philosophy of Lasting Purpose: To live an inner-directed life, to give, to do, to love, to serve, out of your own abundance. This idea stems from the recognition that each individual has been given certain gifts, and as a citizen in the world community, it is your duty to carry out the ideal of Lasting Purpose.

In accordance with that mission statement, we cordially invite the Life U community to the third annual Juneteenth Celebration to be held on Thursday, June 13, 2024 in The Commons Dining Hall from 12:30-3:30 p.m. The festivities will include music, food, yard games and more. The Voices of Life choir will give a special performance. This event is presented by the Black Faculty and Staff Association and is sponsored by Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, The Life U Shop and The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI).

Juneteenth 2024Today, we face a variety of divides and challenges across the members of our population – historic inequalities that have led to disproportionate outcomes of opportunity for marginalized groups in our communities.

Juneteenth, or Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a national holiday celebrated on June 19 that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. This holiday was first celebrated in Texas in 1865, following the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation that declared freedom to all enslaved people in the U.S.

As a university with an immensely diverse student-body population, Life U recognizes the importance of shining a light on the difficulties that are faced by members of our society and the need to elevate voices that have been muted in the past.

As Juneteenth approaches, the University strives to acknowledge the history that has occurred and offer platforms through events and gatherings that allow for the sharing of experiences and the envisioning of a more unified future for the community.