Today is Juneteenth, a celebration commemorating the day — June 19, 1865 — that a quarter of a million enslaved African-Americans in Texas (the last un-emancipated state in the US) learned of their freedom, which was technically granted two years earlier with Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. The holiday carries special significance in 2020, given the global protests and small steps being taken to dismantle systemic racism, with calls for states to recognise Juneteenth as a public holiday louder than ever.
Celebrating the anniversary in her own way, musician Kelsey Lu has launched a special edition of her healing Hydroharmonia project — a new, regular series of original scores paired with natural landscapes intended to provide listeners with musical therapy. Today’s offering, “432” is a calming composition paired with poet Aja Monet’s “Black Joy”, written specifically for Juneteenth.
Lu describes the project as “a meditational sound bath tuned to the frequency of the universe (432Hz)”. She continues: “In processing the history and news we face on a day-to-day basis, I was resurrected by the poem ‘Black Joy’ by Aja Monet, which led me to create ‘432’. Women, particularly BIPOC, have historically proven to be the central voices and leaders in abolition, revolution, hope and love. Through the consistency of these waves, in the electricity of the awakening, we must continue to take care of and love on ourselves and each other. ‘432’ is a tool for that purpose.”
Lu recommends that you take 20 minutes to make space for yourself. “Get as comfortable as you can,” she says, “whether that be lying down, sitting in a comfortable position, lighting a candle or incense, anything that will allow your body to relax. Press play and close your eyes.”
“432” is available to purchase on Bandcamp, with 100% of proceeds going to FEMPOWER, Poetry For The People, The #freeblackmamas Fellowship, Black Trans Femmes in the Arts and the Herbal Mutual Aid Network. “Juneteenth marks a day of Cel-Liberation,” Lu says. “And I invite you to take this opportunity to show solidarity to the leaders fighting for sustainability of life.”
VICE Media Group is celebrating Juneteenth, the day all enslaved Black Americans were emancipated in the U.S., by highlighting stories important to the diaspora across VICE, i-D, Garage, and Refinery 29. Tune in to VICE TV for a full day of television honoring Black voices.