Oakland County Celebrates Juneteenth, Celebrates Art and Essay Winners
(Crystal A. Proxmire, June 19, 2026)
On Jan 1, 1893, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in the United States. However, freedom was not instant, especially in Confederate-controlled states like Texas. On June 19, 1865, over 250,000 enslaved people were officially proclaimed free, and that date became known as Juneteenth.
It wasn’t until 2021 that Juneteenth became a national holiday, though states had been recognizing it with increasing frequency beginning with Texas who made it an official state holiday in 1980.This holiday was honored by Oakland County with an event on Thursday, as well as an art and essay contest for students across the county.
Clara Assumpta Buarno of Hill Elementary in Troy won the essay contest for grades K-3. “Freedom means being able to make choices and be yourself,” Bunao wrote. “I think freedom is very important because it helps people learn, grow and be happy.”
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter congratulated this year’s winners and praised the students for their thoughtful submissions.
“Juneteenth is a time to reflect on our nation’s history while recognizing the importance of freedom and respect for every person,” said Coulter. “These students demonstrated remarkable creativity and maturity in exploring what freedom means — not only as a historical milestone but also as a responsibility we all share today.”
The winners were recognized at the celebration, and each received a $150 gift card.
Winners are:
Grades K-3: Clara Assumpta Bunao — Hill Elementary School, Troy, Mich.
Grades 4-7: Swara Kadam — Carpenter Elementary School, Lake Orion, Mich.
Grades 8-12: Peter Kwon — International Academy East, Troy, Mich.
Post-High School: Dexson Torres — Wayne County Community College District
Torres reflected on freedom through the lens of immigration, identity and belonging. Drawing from his experiences growing up in the Philippines and living in Detroit, he described freedom as the ability to pursue dreams, express oneself and contribute to a community. “For me, freedom is to be able to dream and chase after what I want, not be constrained by it,” he wrote.
