For Lauren Brown-Akowe, a Juneteenth celebration isn’t ready without the food that’s primed for the big day – but the food on the table is also there to help tell her family’s story.

Her descendants come from Galveston, Texas, where her grandfather grew up and pastored a church. Brown-Akowe’s family’s Galveston roots hold significance, as Galveston was where Gen. Gordon Granger arrived to proclaim the enslaved were finally free.

A renewed push of attention that can be attributed to the murder of George Floyd helped to bring Juneteenth into the spotlight and help it to become a nationally recognized holiday after a House vote.

Whether Juneteenth is observed by everyone or not, Lauren Brown-Akowe’s excitement can’t be contained.

“What it means that they come from a people who went through insurmountable difficulty and now they are able to live in a world where they can thrive,” said Brown-Akowe.