NEW ORLEANS - Juneteenth Week in Louisiana begins with a Monday afternoon event featuring faith and community leaders from across the state. 

Their discussion, which will center around the prospect of the community's healing so that its members can act to promote justice and equality, will kick off an entire week of activity honoring the June 19th 1865 date that a group of African American slaves in Texas finally got word of their freedom, more than two years after all other slaves were declared free in the United States.

The first program of the week, "Interfaith Healing & Day of Action" begins at noon and speakers will include: 

-Rabbi Lexi Erdheim, Rabbi in Residence for New Orleans Avodah Jewish Service Corps

-Sonya Lars, Magnum Memorial United Methodist Church

-Re. Gregory T. Manning, Broadmoor Community Church

-Deacon Reggie Seymour, Saint Genevieve Church

-Jenny Yanez, Louisiana Community Development Coordinator at ICNA Relief USA

-Raymond J. Jetson, MetroMorphosis

Click here to register for the event.  

Additional Juneteenth week events include:

-Tuesday, 6:30-8:00 p.m.: Collegiate Day of Action & Virtual Kickback, with DJ Retro. Register at bit.ly/CollegeKickback

-Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.: Stand With Sanitation Workers Walk Along & Lit Drop. 6:00 p.m. Listening Session. Register at bit.ly/StandWithSanitation

-Thursday: Freedom Bailout w/YWCA of Baton Rouge, time/location TBD

-Friday, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.: March to Angola with Voice of the Experienced (VOTE)

-Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.: Statewide Voter Registration & PPE Giveaway with VOTE

For more information, visit http://powercoalition.org/