Kenneth Mitchell, Cassandra Lundy-Mitchell(Hometown Hero Honoree), Richard Ballard, Aire’l Redding, and Bryan Johnson II (Little Mr. Juneteenth) celebrate as a family. Photo by Rachel Mills
Daytona religious leaders join together for a call to prayer. Photo by Rachel Mills
Kat Sika, Lateresa Hinson, and Vana Noel gather around Little Miss Juneteenth, Londyn Sika. Photo by Rachel Mills
A Junkaroo stilt walker performs at the Hometown Heroes Banquet for Juneteenth. Photo by Rachel Mills
The Juneteenth Festival Committee Chair, Linda McGee, watches the event unfold. Photo by Rachel Mills
A Junkaroo stilt walker performs at the Hometown Heroes Banquet for Juneteenth. Photo By Rachel Mills
The Daytona Beach Police Department Honor Guard presents the colors at the Hometown Heroes Banquet. Photo by Rachel Mills
Attendees sit at tables and watch the presentation at the Hometown Heroes Banquet. Photo by Rachel Mills
A member of the Junkanoo Dance Troupe, Junkanoo Near You, dances on stage at the Hometown Heroes Banquet. Photo by Rachel Mills
A Junkaroo stilt walker performs at the Hometown Heroes Banquet for Juneteenth. Photo by Rachel Mills
Junkanoo Dance Troupe, Junkanoo Near You, dances at the Hometown Heroes Banquet. Photo by Rachel Mills
100-year-old Geneva Loper is presented with her Hometown Hero award by Mayor Derrick Henry and Commissioner Quanita May. Photo by Rachel Mills
Daytona Beach honored those who have lived a life of service and promoted unity and freedom at the Hometown Heroes Banquet Celebration at the Mori Hosseini Student Union building at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Juneteenth, Friday, June 19.
The event kicked off with Junkanoo dancers and drummers and stilt walkers dancing festively as they made their way through the packed banquet hall blowing whistles and playing to the crowd. Then, the night’s attention turned to the local honorees.
“We appreciate you, we honor you,” said Jay Love, co-host and Hot 94.1 DJ and program director. “If service is the price we pay for the space we take. Then tonight's honorees have paid that price time and again. Tonight we say we see you.”
The Hometown Heroes Banquet is part of one of the longest running Juneteenth celebration in the state of Florida. More than 500 Hometown Heroes have been selected and honored over the last 28 years. This year, there were 20 Hometown Heroes honored and 10 Juneteenth Scholarships recipients.
At the event, Londyn Sika was crowned Little Miss Juneteenth. Bryan Johnson II was named Little Mr. Juneteenth.
“This is one of the largest and most successful Juneteenth celebrations in the state and in the nation,” said Donna M. Gray-Banks, co-host and founder of F.R.E.S.H.
Geneva Loper and Irene Webb, both 100, were the oldest Hometown Heroes at the event.
“I love people and I want people to love me,” Loper said. “I don’t know what to say. I’m so happy. People should love and help people.”
Of the 20 honorees, 13 were recognized for their community service, including Loper and Cassandra Lundy-Mitchell.
"There’s a lot of people that are unsung heroes,” Lundy-Mitchell said. “And Juneteenth is something that's very important to all of us. Not just Black people, but all of us.”
